The first weekend of the official provincial election campaign period saw the parties’ political activity scaled down, but only by a notch.
Saturday saw both the Sask Party and NDP leaders campaigning in Moose Jaw, considered an electoral battleground this election season. There, both campaigns reiterated familiar themes.
At a Sask Party event with Moose Jaw candidates, Scott Moe spoke of his party’s plans on affordability, highlighting the several announcements made over the past week on income tax, the Graduate Retention Program, and the increase to the First-time Homebuyers Credit, among others. This weekend Moe and the Sask Party also touted their record of reducing taxes, while claiming the NDP record was one of raising taxes and supporting the carbon tax — the latter claim being disputed by the Saskatchewan NDP.
Meanwhile, Carla Beck was also in Moose Jaw for an event alongside former Saskatchewan NDP Premier Lorne Calvert. There, Beck reiterated her previously announced campaign commitment to a new elementary school to replace St. Michael School, with construction to begin in 2025.
On Sunday, the Sask Party opted to not hold any media events, but the NDP held two of them. In Saskatoon, Vicki Mowat accused the Sask Party of failing to take meaningful action on the emergency room crisis facing Saskatoon – an issue that the NDP had been pushing over the last number of days. Mowat was joined at the announcement by several front-line nurses.
In Regina, Carla Beck officially opened her Regina Lakeview campaign office that she is sharing with Aleana Young of Regina South Albert and Bhajan Brar of Regina Pasqua, both of whom were in attendance. There, Beck spoke to a packed room of supporters.
One of those in the audience whose attendance at the event was acknowledged was none other than Randy Weekes, the former Speaker who recently bolted the Sask Party caucus. In recent weeks, Weekes had also attended an NDP-organized town hall meeting on accountability along with Young and MLA Meara Conway.
In speaking to reporters, Beck spoke of the efforts the party was making in Regina.
“There is good momentum. We’re not taking anything for granted,” said Beck. “Of course this is a team that works really hard. We’re going to keep working until the last minute on the 28th. But again, I am encouraged by the response that we’re getting on the doorstep. I’m encouraged by the signs we’re seeing out there, encouraged by the number of volunteers we’re seeing, and volunteers are telling us ‘I’ve never gotten involved before but this time is too important to sit it out, I want to come, I want to help.’ And we’re hearing that not just in Regina, not just in Saskatoon but across the province.”
As for the next couple of days, the next big event on the campaign trail in Regina are the Access Now TV debates, being produced by the Regina and District Chamber of Commerce. Those debates will involve the candidates running in the various ridings and will begin at 5:30 pm each night on Oct. 7 and 8.
