NDP MLA Pat Atkinson criticized the Wall Government today for Justice Minister Don Morgan's misguided decision to cut provincial funding for the Domestic Abuse Outreach Program (DAOP) in Saskatoon.

"DAOP workers provided emergency frontline support and services for women and children fleeing violent domestic abuse in Saskatoon," Atkinson said. "For the Wall Government to cut DAOP without any consultation and no consideration as to how these services would be provided in the absence of DAOP is unacceptable. The interim measure to fund only one social worker position came after the decision to cut DAOP and is simply not enough," said Atkinson.

Atkinson said fourteen community based organizations in Saskatoon have written letters to the Ministry of Social Services and the Ministry of Justice demanding an explanation as to how the issues formerly handled by DAOP will be delivered through other community partners who are not equipped or properly funded to do so.

"The Wall Government has tried to spin this as the standardization of services, but they cut DAOP without making sure that there were services in the community to replace them," she said. "Minister Morgan said he came to this decision after consultations had taken place, but he could not say with whom. We know the other community partners were not consulted and there has been no indication that demand for these services have declined. The Wall Government claims this was not a cost cutting measure, but where did the funds not going to DAOP get allocated?" Atkinson asked.

The DAOP has served women and children in Saskatoon for twenty years. In addition to emergency crisis work, the DAOP workers assisted women through court proceedings, provided emotional support for highly traumatized victims of domestic abuse and accompanied women to their homes to get their personal belongings, clothing and school supplies for their children.

"DAOP workers have established themselves as a vital community partner in Saskatoon. These workers and the services they provided are a testament to how this successful model could be implemented in other communities throughout the province," Atkinson said. "We are calling on the Wall Government to reinstate the DAOP in Saskatoon and to expand the program so that women and children across Saskatchewan can benefit from these important services."