NDP calls on federal government to reinstate public bus service in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan MPs Jolibois and Benson call on the Federal Liberals to reinstate the STC in order to protect women in the province.

SASKATCHEWAN - In a letter to three female federal Ministers, NDP Labour Critic Sheri Benson (Saskatoon West) and NDP Deputy Critic for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Georgina Jolibois (Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River), urged the Federal government to take action against the closure of the Saskatchewan Transit Company (STC).

“The closure of the STC is placing women's lives at risk. British Columbia's Highway of Tears serves as an important reminder that we cannot let history repeat itself,” said Benson. “The federal government, in its dedication to feminism, must intervene on behalf of women who are stranded without this vital public service.”

In its 2017 budget, the provincial government cut funding to the STC citing a lack of profitable routes. The closure has been met with opposition from MLAs, MPs, grassroots organizations, and women's groups, and has been widely criticized for the negative effects it will have on women, Indigenous people, and those living in isolated and rural communities. The STC's role as a safe, reliable mode of public transportation servicing all corners of Saskatchewan has been abandoned and leaves many people vulnerable and stranded.

“This government claims to be pursuing a better nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous people,” added Jolibois. “But, without the STC, many living in northern and Indigenous communities will be unable to access services centralized in larger urban centres, or attend the upcoming Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls hearing in Saskatoon this October. This needs to be addressed.”