Sask. Party to increase scholarship; NDP focus on GTH and rural school funding

The Sask. Party is looking to help lighten the load when it comes to student tuition if re-elected.

In a news release, the Sask. Party said a government under it would increase the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship by 50 per cent from $500 to $750 per year, amounting in an overall increase of $1,000 over four years.

“The Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship is there to ensure students from low to moderate income families can afford to continue their education after high school,” said Sask. Party leader Scott Moe. “Increasing the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship, together with Saskatchewan’s other strong financial supports for students, will help make post-secondary education more affordable.”

The province provides about $90 million a year to 19,000 students through repayable loans and non-repayable grants.

The Sask. Party said this would be introduced in next year’s budget and will cost $8 million over four years.

NDP calls for transparency on GTH, Regina Bypass

Ryan Meili and the NDP came out against the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) on Friday.

The GTH has been the subject of conflict of interest investigations and has dealt with financial issues.

Meili took the opportunity to call for several changes. His party hopes to hold a public inquiry into what it calls the “GTH scandal,” introduce stronger conflict of interest rules for MLAs, make all lobbying public, and ban both corporate and union donations to political parties.

“So many questions remain around this deal, but the Sask. Party doesn’t want us to see the answers. In the end, (they) continue to hide information and refuse to take any responsibility for their actions,” he said in a news conference.

“We absolute can not afford four more years of Scott Moe and the Sask. Party.”