REGINA – A new social media campaign by the Sask Party has riled up the opposition New Democrats.
In that campaign on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the Sask Party attacked the NDP over their criticism of urgent care centres in the province, and other health care topics such as virtual care.
One of the social media ads contrasted the “NDP voting to ban virtual care” with the Sask Party “adding virtual care.” In another ad, NDP Health critic Meara Conway is quoted saying “when a young person comes to me and says ‘should I go into healthcare?’ I say ‘absolutely not.’”
“It’s a good thing Saskatchewan people don’t listen to the NDP,” the Sask Party stated in the comments.
In a video ad that ran on Instagram, the Sask Party returned to a familiar theme of lambasting the previous NDP government for closing hospitals during their time in power.
“The last NDP government closed 52 hospitals and cut 1200 long term care beds,” the ad stated. “And Carla Beck’s plan? Close urgent care centres. Stop new construction.”
The ad then went on to show a recent media event outside the Regina Urgent Care Centre featuring NDP Rural and Remote Health critic Jared Clarke. When shown being asked by a reporter “does the NDP’s plan include urgent care centres?” Clarke was seen responding “um, no.”
The series of ads promoted the NDP to issue an outraged news release Thursday, in which Clarke was quoted trashing Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill.
“If Jeremy Cockrill wants to debate healthcare with us, I say bring it on,” Clarke said in that statement. “Saskatchewan people know healthcare in this province is worse now than ever before after 19 years of this government.”
Clarke added that the Sask. Party “continually tries to spin that Urgent Care Centres are the best solution to fixing healthcare. Yet, after two years they still cannot staff the ONE they have built. It was promised to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but two years later it can barely keep bankers' hours… Who exactly is going to be staffing their second Urgent Care Centre in Regina when they can’t fully staff the one they already have? We are still waiting to see their staffing plan.”
In speaking to SaskToday Thursday, Clarke further lambasted the government over the issue of urgent care centres.
“I think it's bizarre that the government keeps doubling down and championing the urgent care center in Regina when we see that they haven't been able to staff it,” Clarke said.
“… And so for them to suggest that Urgent Care Centres are the be-all end-all, that this is the solve for healthcare, is a bit ludicrous when the ER doctors that are manning the Urgent Care Centre in Regina are the same doctors who are already were already working in the general and Pasqua emergency room. So they just spread the staff out just a little bit thinner. So I mean, it hasn't worked.”
Clarke questioned why the government was “doubling down” on supporting urgent care centres.
“Regina and Saskatchewan people have recognized that the Urgent Care Centreis often closed… And, you know, according to staff that we've talked to almost daily, they're turning people away because they don't have enough staff to see the number of people that are coming in desperate for care because they don't have access to a family doctor. So it's bizarre that… this is an angle that they think they're winning on.”
In response to the NDP, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill issued a statement taking aim at their record.
“The NDP have a record of closing hospitals and long-term care homes across the province when they were in government. Recently, the NDP confirmed that their plan, if they were to form government again, would be to close the Regina Urgent Care Centre that has served over 75,000 patients in the past two years; to close the brand-new Saskatoon urgent care centre which will open in early 2027; and to stop additional urgent care centres from opening in Prince Albert, Moose Jaw and North Battleford.
“When the NDP’s healthcare plan involves closing more facilities and telling young people not to go into healthcare, it becomes clear why no one can take the NDP seriously. Our government will remain focused on opening new access to care through our Patients First Health Care Plan to ensure Saskatchewan families get the right care in the right place at the right time.”
