Legislative Report

Saskatchewan People Feel It Is Time For a Change

Late summer is a natural time for reflection. The kids go back to school, people return from vacation, and the promise of spring’s planting turns into the reality of fall’s sometimes bitter harvest.

When you’re a politician visiting people across our province, you reflect on what you’ve heard, the general mood and the issues people think are important. This summer, one question dominated the discussion: When’s the next election? When will we get a chance to throw out a tired old NDP government that has run out of ideas?

Those of us who live in Saskatchewan are, by our very nature, are a proud and hopeful people. We believe this province can be just as successful as other Canadian provinces. We also see record-high resource revenues and a provincial budget nearing the $8 billion mark.

However, we also see a province that Statistics Canada says has lost nearly 2,000 people in the first quarter of this year. We see a province where the population now stands at its lowest level since March of 1982. We see an NDP government that has one of the worst job creation records in Canada. We see the NDP record on employment growth—1.1 per cent or half the national average.

People just don’t understand why Saskatchewan is underperforming, especially in the middle of an oil boom.

I believe the answers to those questions have a lot to do with leadership. Saskatchewan residents are looking for someone with new ideas and new policies. They want politicians who can capitalize on Saskatchewan’s natural advantages, creating opportunity for everyone. They’re not getting any of this from an NDP government that, after so many years in power, is not on the right track.

I believe people are becoming increasingly convinced that the only way Saskatchewan is going to see some positive leadership is by changing the government. People are tired of hearing about crumbling highways, hospital waiting lists and skills shortages. They want Saskatchewan’s reality to match Saskatchewan’s potential.

The sooner we have an election and get a new government, the sooner that will happen.

Past Legislative Reports