SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan NDP obtained an audio recording in which a Saskatchewan Party candidate criticized their Leader, Scott Moe, on how he handled education issues while serving as the province’s premier, and has shared it with reporters
While the NDP was focusing on the leak in Saskatoon, Moe was nearby in Martensville to encourage voter turnout, and shrugged off the controversy over the leak.
In the over one-minute audio recording, Sask. Party Regina Pasqua candidate Muhammad Fiaz was heard talking to one of the voters in his constituency, saying Moe was disrespectful to the teachers during their conversation early this year.
“I totally agree with you. It was disrespectful, and I’m speaking myself. [It takes] big courage to tell you that was not appropriate stuff by my government, and I acknowledge that,” Fiaz answered on the billboards attacking teachers.
Matt Love, Saskatchewan NDP's Saskatoon Eastview candidate, spoke at a media briefing on Monday, Oct. 21, in front of Silverwood Heights School. He said even a candidate from Moe’s own party could not defend his record in education.
“It's especially true when it comes to our classrooms. In leaked audio, Muhammad Fiaz, the Sask. Party candidate for Regina Pasqua said in a meeting that Scott Moe’s billboards attacking teachers were disrespectful,” said Love.
“He [Fiaz] went on to say that his own son's experience in school was one of having 35 students in a classroom where there were not enough chairs for all the students, and several had to sit on the floor.”
Love added that Fiaz also agreed that a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, by then Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill attacking teachers going after them, saying that all they wanted was more money, was indeed offensive.
Cockrill is running for re-election in The Battlefords constituency against Tom Kroczynski (Saskatchewan NDP), Sara Piotrofsky (Saskatchewan Green Party), and Dale Richarson (Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan). Cockrill is also under two ethics investigations.
“This thing matters because it's Scott Moe's record. He should be running on his record. His record is one of leading Saskatchewan to last place, and people have a choice to make starting [early voting] tomorrow [Tuesday, Oct. 22],” said Love.
“They can vote for change. They can vote for better funding in our schools. They can vote for the support our students need, which teachers have been raising the alarm over. They can vote for change starting tomorrow, and I encourage people to get out and send a message.”
Don McBean, Saskatchewan NDP’s Saskatoon Mistawasis candidate, said that as a retired teacher and principal, he experienced the budget cuts the Saskatchewan Party government has made since 2017.
“For the first few years, the school board said that they were keeping these cuts from affecting the classroom, but as the cuts continued year after year, they stopped even considering that was possible. First, it was support, like [English as a] second language instruction, teacher librarians, and counselors, all critical support [staff] for a good learning environment in the schools and the classrooms, and they're cut back to near nothing, band-aids on serious needs,” said McBean.
“EAs are educational assistants who, when properly funded, provide huge resources and great innovation in the classroom. Now they're cut back to just working on an urgent, need-it-today basis. Now, we hear a Sask. Party candidate admitting that this is Scott Moe's fault. It's shocking that his candidates are saying these things, but it's not surprising. It's what I witnessed. It's what teachers are living every day. It's what we hear from people at the doors.”
Moe: We’re focused on the province
Moe shrugged off the leaked audio, as they would instead focus on serving the province's people if they remain in government and getting everyone to vote this election.
“Listen, the NDP has put forward a whole platform that has $3 billion in uncosted spending. I really don't know of the comments, so I can't really comment on it and coming from the NDP, I'd be very, you know, suspicious of the source,” said Moe during a campaign stop in Martensville with candidates Jamie Martens (Martensville-Blairmore) and Terry Jenson (Warman).
“We're not focused on the NDP. We're focused on the voters in this province and the people in this province. Focused on ensuring that we're leaving more money for them to spend over the course of the next four years if we have the honour to form government, and then the NDP can focus on, you know, whatever leak it is or whatever word that they've you know you know tried to record of somebody, that's fine they can play that type of politics.”
Moe added that their party focuses on laying the groundwork for Saskatchewan families to enjoy an affordable life in the province and providing opportunities for today's youth to stay.
“That's [a] very different platform and record than the decline loss and closure that the NDP have traditionally provided not only in this province but in other provinces as well,” Moe said.
For months, the Saskatchewan NDP has been hammering Moe and the Saskatchewan Party on issues related to education and healthcare in the province.
