      Danielle Chartier, MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale, and chair of Public Accounts and Critic for Health, Seniors, and Saskatchewan Builds for the New Democratic Party, publicly voiced concerns of health care in Saskatchewan at a public meeting in Preeceville on October 24.
           Chartier toured the Preeceville and District Health Centre prior to the meeting. She addressed concerns and recorded questions and frustrations from the public.
           "Health care wait times are far too long in Saskatchewan," said Chartier. "Mr. Wall promised to eliminate ER waits, but he’s failed to deliver on that commitment. In fact, he hasn’t even reduced ER waits at all. When we go to the ER now, we wait an average of 3.5 hours much longer than most Canadians. Wait times for specialists have jumped to an average of about 11 months.
           "And surgical wait times have started growing as well, because the Sask Party cut tens of millions from the budget for surgeries this year," said Chartier.
           "We also have the worst ambulance fees in all of Canada. Instead of fixing wait times, or reducing ambulance fees, or fixing crumbling hospitals, the Sask Party government has wasted hundreds of millions on its Lean pet project, which includes a $40-million contract with one American consultant, $3,500 per day for each Japanese sensei flown in to provide bizarre training, and at least $17 million per year for Lean Kaizen Promotion Offices," said Chartier.
           On September 21, 2009, Chartier was elected MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale in a byelection resulting from the retirement of former MLA Lorne Calvert, and was re-elected in 2011 and 2016.
           Chartier is a third-generation resident of the Saskatoon Riversdale constituency, says her biographical information. Originally trained as a journalist, Chartier has worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, as well as weekly newspapers and monthly magazines.
           After obtaining a bachelor of social work degree from the University of Regina, she worked for the Saskatchewan Department of Labour’s Work and Family Unit for nearly three years. Currently she is completing a master of public administration degree through the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy.
           She has also worked on projects for a number of community organizations including the Saskatchewan Association for Community Living, Catholic Family Services of Saskatoon and the Children’s Discovery Museum.
