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The Saskatchewan NDP is accusing Saskatchewan’s social services minister of running interference on the Sunrise Motel issue.
On Thursday, NDP Social Services Critic Meara Conway revealed that the ministry had extended the deadline on two Freedom of Information requests that the NDP submitted on Dec. 12.
“We got responses on both of them kicking the can down the road 30 days,” Conway said.
One FOIP requested information on “all approved policies, guidelines, or regulations existing and in use on November 1, 2023 with respect to use of hotels or motels by Social Services clients that the Ministry is housing temporarily.”
It asked for all things that were in effect between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.
The second request asked for all materials with respect to hotels and motels that are recommended or approved by the ministry for use by social services clients from Jan. 1, 2022 until now.
Conway said it was part of a larger “concerning” pattern of behaviour when it comes to information requests submitted to the Saskatchewan Party.
“I think that they have something to hide,” Conway said. “We’ve given them a lot of time.
“It’s really difficult to draw any other conclusion and if I’m wrong about that, then Minister (Gene) Makowsky is the only person who’s in a position to refute my suggestion that they are hiding something here — that there is something that is not above board.”
In November, the Opposition sounded the alarm about the connection between the Ministry of Social Services and the Sunrise Motel, which is owned by Sask. Party MLA Gary Grewal.
This was after a social services client staying at the motel experienced higher charges during her stay, which was on the ministry’s dime.
Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky said the ministry is attempting to provide the Opposition with the information it asked for. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)
On Thursday afternoon, Makowsky said the ministry is working to provide the requested information to the Opposition, but the sheer volume of information to go through has caused a delay.
In a letter addressed to Makowsky, Conway also asked how much the Ministry has paid out to Sunrise since 2020 and also how much it has paid on global hotel expenditures going back to the last five years.
“It’s a lot of information; it’s not just at your fingertips,” Makowsky told reporters. “It’s a very large ministry and there’s certainly a lot of things going.”
Makowsky added that the ministry wanted to provide a thorough response to the request rather than provide the information piece by piece.
Makowsky said the information will be revealed in a matter of “short weeks” if not days.
The new deadlines set for the requests will be Feb. 10.