Sask. NDP shares audio of Sask. Party candidate concerned about large class size
Moe answers questions on origin of change room policy promise
On Monday, the Sask. NDP released audio to the media of Muhammad Fiaz, the Sask. Party candidate for Regina Pasqua, speaking to a constituent about overcrowding at Campbell Collegiate in Regina.
"Thirty-five kids in Campbell is insane. People are sitting on the floor," Fiaz is heard saying. "Thirty-five kids. To handle those you need three teachers there and at least at first it should not be 30 kids in the school. It has to be a reasonable amount that one teacher can pay full attention to."
The Saskatchewan Party has confirmed it is Fiaz on the recording. A spokesperson for the party said Fiaz was speaking to a concerned resident in his riding.
Fiaz has represented Regina Pasqua since 2016.
In the audio, Fiaz also told a constituent he disagreed with the government's billboard campaign. The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation criticized the billboards as pitting voters against teachers.
"I totally agree with you. It was disrespectful, and I'm speaking myself," Fiaz said.
Fiaz said it took "big courage" to tell the constituent he disagreed with the billboards.
"That was not appropriate stuff by my government and I acknowledge that."
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The Sask. Party said leader Scott Moe has admitted that more needs to be done to address issues in the K-12 education system.
The NDP said Fiaz's comments are a symptom of a larger problem.
"If his own candidates are disagreeing with his record, what does that say about his leadership? What does that say about the trust that people in this province could have in Mr. Moe?" NDP candidate for Saskatoon Eastview Matt Love said on Monday.
Moe says he didn't know identity of minors at centre of change room debate
Moe spent Monday morning in Martsenville, Sask., an area where the Saskatchewan Party previously won comfortably.
At the campaign stop, Moe was asked about the genesis of a promise he made last week. Moe said Thursday morning that if elected, his "first order of business" would be to enact a policy restricting students' use of change rooms in schools to their sex assigned at birth.
"I won't be part of discussing any individuals involved in this," Moe said Monday. "I was asked a question from the media gallery and I was very clear on what the policy of this party was. I think any party or candidates vying for public office for any other party should be just as clear with what their party policy is."
The party has said the issue originated with a parental complaint at a school near Regina.
On Wednesday, news outlet the Western Standard published a story featuring a parent saying their daughter had been uncomfortable in a changing room with two other students, who identified as female but were assigned male at birth, at a south Saskatchewan school.
Moe was asked if he knew the identity of the minors at the heart of those concerns and responded "no."
Moe said his first knowledge of the issue came last Wednesday.
"It was maybe a day before that there was some discussion that had come through our room."
Moe warns against 'vote splitting'
Moe also warned against vote splitting.
"There are only two parties that can form government. Voting for another party is only going to allow the NDP to win," Moe said.
The Green Party, Saskatchewan United Party, Buffalo Party, Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative Party and Saskatchewan Progress Party all have candidates running.
In the constituency of Martensville-Blairmore, the Saskatchewan Party candidate is Jamie Martens, Tammy Pike is the NDP candidate and Brittney Ricottone is running for the Green Party.
The constituency is new for 2024. The Sask. Party won the old Martensville-Warman riding with 74 and 79 per cent of the vote in the previous two elections. For 2024, Warman is now its own constituency.
With files from Alexander Quon