Dwain Lingenfelter and the NDP - Using Sick Children and Their Families as Political Pawns

UPDATE (Bumped): Dwain Lingenfelter continues to mislead the Saskatchewan public about the Children's Hospital


May 082010 - CHAB Moose Jaw

KEN AUDETTE (Host):



Dwain, let’s talk about the Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. I know the Opposition party releasing some information this week saying that it was a no go anymore. It was the government saying that the Opposition came out and said it was cancelled. They are saying – that is not the case. From the NDP’s side of things – the literature that did come out – why was that said? I will give you a chance to comment on that.

DWAIN LINGENFELTER (Leader of the NDP):


It is pretty clear that the hospital isn’t built. Brad Wall has been talking about it all this time in Opposition – he promised it. He is into his third year of government and he hasn’t done, even started on the hospital, so obviously it is not being built.

Now, if his game is we are going to pretend we are starting to build it a few months before the next election that is just games playing. And what we are trying to do is force the hand of the premier if you believe in the Children’s Hospital – a freestanding building that you promised before the last election and you say you have the money – why the heck don’t we build it.

The fact of the matter, it is cancelled. Because it isn’t here, it is not being built. If anyone can find it, we would like to know where it is being built at.

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Are there no immoral depths to which Dwain Lingenfelter the NDP will not sink? Evidently not.

The timeline...
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The last week in April 2010, the NDP sent out a flyer to every household in Saskatchewan on the taxpayer's dime. With respect to the proposed children's hospital, here is the quote from the flyer.

They (Sask Party) promised a children's hospital, a public surgical care centre, and 13 new long term care homes, but they have cancelled funding for all these projects."
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May 03/2010 - The Richard Brown Show (Newstalk650)


RICHARD BROWN (CKOM Afternoon Host):


A pamphlet arrived in mailboxes over the weekend on Saturday, it came from the NDP, it was a political ad and it has raised the ire of some of those in the Saskatchewan Party, this mailer says, and I quote

“They promised a Children’s Hospital, a Public Surgical Care Center and 13 new long term care homes, but they have canceled funding for all these projects”

The government says no they haven’t. Joining us on the line Judy Junor who is the NDP health critic. Ms. Junor thanks for being with us.

The government says that this is wrong, that the government has not canceled funding for the Children’s Hospital, the Public Surgical Care Center and 13 new long term care homes, yet here it is in one of your fliers.


JUDY JUNOR (NDP MLA):


I don’t know how they can say that because they have, the funding to the long term care facilities was removed, was not in estimates. This morning when I questioned the Minister, the public surgical care centre is gone, that was out of their budget, and the Children’s Hospital, that money is not in the budget either.

RICHARD BROWN (CKOM Afternoon Host):

Well it may not be in the budget Ms. Junor but they say it’s in the bank.


JUDY JUNOR (NDP MLA):


Well I asked the Minister that this morning, where is it, and he said it was at the Crown Investments Corporation. I asked him how it was displayed, how would we find it in a financial statement, he doesn’t know. And I don’t think that’s reassuring to anybody that the money will be there when you finally need it because now we’re into another review and the decision about the site again in Saskatoon. So it seems to be a little suspect when the project is put on hold, is actually the word the Minister used was paused. And another review is going on.


I’ve been involved in these reviews in Saskatoon since the 1980’s I’m not exactly sure what we’re reviewing yet again. And I think that the decision is pretty coincidental right before the budget announcement that the money isn’t there.
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But rather than saying the "money isn't in the budget" which was technically factual, that doesn't have the political sting as saying they've cancelled the hospital. Which brings us to today...

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May 04/2010 -The CKOM Morning Show with Brent Loucks - (Newstalk650)


BRENT LOUCKS (Program Host):

Let’s get some thoughts from Brynn Boback-Lane, CEO and President of the Children’s Hospital Foundation.

So Brynn, tell me what you think or what you heard from your supporters when this NDP flyer came out and what you make of the political ying and yang that is going on between the government and the NDP right now over this?

BRYNN BOBACK-LANE (Children’s Hospital Foundation):

Thank you Brent for having me on the show. I really want to make it clear that the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan project HAS NOT been cancelled. It never has been cancelled.

In fact when the Minister of Health was on your show yesterday he was crystal clear when he responded to that speculation about the Children’s Hospital project and stated the funds were indeed available.

Now whether they are in one account or another account, to our foundation and to the people that are putting this major task together really is irrelevant. We know the $200-million dollars is sitting there in trust in a CIC Account in trust for the Children’s Hospital. And when it is required it will be there to be utilized for that purpose.

BRENT LOUCKS (Program Host):

Does this drive you crazy that all of a sudden this project gets drawn out into the political arena like this?

BRYNN BOBACK-LANE (Children’s Hospital Foundation):

You know people just want the truth and they want to know where their dollars are going and where they were intended which was the Children’s Hospital. And we as a foundation rely on their support to ensure that we buy the right equipment, that we can support patient care and research and education. And of course the inevitable capital for the Children’s Hospital. And every dollar that we receive from our supporters stays within Saskatchewan to do this important work.

So when misinformation is circulated it really doesn’t help our cause for the much needed fundraising that it will take to make this a truly dedicated family and children’s hospital. But who it really hurts is the families and the children who are really expecting this facility. They are already feeling stress about their individual situations and to put them through another emotional rollercoaster as to whether or not this hospital is actually going to be built is very, very unfortunate.


We’ve had many calls from concerned donors and parents and quite frankly no one wins when this happens.
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We've said it before. This is all about Dwain Lingenfelter's naked ambition to become the Premier of the province.

And he along with the NDP will use any means possible, including misinforming the families and loved ones of sick children, to achieve their goals and to attempt to erode future funding for this very important project.

We cannot think of anything more evil than that.