Saskatchewan New Democratic Party

2007 Saskatchewan General Election

Jay Makarenko — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:03:02 -0600

On November 7, 2007, Saskatchewan voters elected the Saskatchewan Party to a majority government, with Brad Wall becoming the new provincial Premier. The election of the Saskatchewan Party ended 16 years of rule by the provincial New Democratic Party (first under Premier Roy Romanow, and then under Premier Lorne Calvert). This article provides background information on the 2007 general election, including recent electoral and polling history, summary of the major party leaders and platforms in the election, as well as the results of the election.

Saskatchewan Election Backgrounder

Previous elections, party standings, pre-election polls

Saskatchewan NDP: 2007 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the New Democrats

Saskatchewan Party: 2007 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Saskatchewan Party

Saskatchewan Liberal Party: 2007 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Liberals

Minor Parties in the 2007 Saskatchewan Election

List and links to minor political parties in the election

Results of the 2007 Saskatchewan Election

The Saskatchewan Party wins a majority government

Sources and Links to More Information

Lists of article sources and links to more on this topic

Saskatchewan Election Backgrounder

Previous elections, party standings, pre-election polls

Results of the 2003 General Election

In the last general election held in 2003, Premier Lorne Calvert and the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party won a slight majority government. The election marked the NDP’s fourth consecutive victory. The Saskatchewan Party came in second, forming the Official Opposition.

Party	Seats	% Vote	Status
New Democratic Party	30	44.62%	Government
Saskatchewan Party	28	39.35%	Opposition
Liberal Party	-	14.17%	-

For more information on the 2003 general election:

Mapleleafweb: 2003 Saskatchewan General Election

Party Standings Prior to 2007 Election

Prior to the calling of the 2007 general election, party standings in the provincial legislature were as follows:

Party	Seats	Status
New Democratic Party	30	Government
Saskatchewan Party	28	Opposition
Other	0	-

Between the 2003 and 2007 general elections, provincial by-elections were held in the ridings of Martensville and Weyburn-Big Muddy. In those by-elections, the Saskatchewan Party retained both seats (Elections Saskatchewan, 2006; CBC, March 5, 2007).

Pre-election Public Opinion Polls

Polls conducted in the spring of 2007 showed a significant lead in public support for the Saskatchewan Party. In an April 2007 poll, the Saskatchewan Party’s support was 55 percent, while a June 2007 poll showed a slight drop to 48 percent. The Saskatchewan NDP, by contrast, polled 29 percent in April 2007 and 30 percent in June. The Liberal Party trailed the other two major political parties; however, it did show some gains, with support at 10 percent in April and 23 percent in June.

For more information on the results of these public opinion polls:

Saskatchewan NDP: 2007 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the New Democrats

Lorne Calvert: Saskatchewan NDP Leader

Lorne Calvert was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He attended the University of Regina where he studied economics, then pursued theology studies at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Mr. Calvert was ordained in the United Church of Canada in 1976. He served as Minister of the Zion United Church in Moose Jaw from 1979 until 1986. He was first elected to the provincial legislature in 1986 for the riding of Moose Jaw South. Over the course of his political career, Mr. Calvert has served as Associate Minister of Health, Minister Responsible for the Wakamow Valley Authority, Minister Responsible for SaskPower and SaskEnergy, Deputy Chair of the Crown Corporations Committee, Member of the Legislature’s Standing Committee on the Environment, Minister of Health, Minister of Social Services, Minister Responsible for the Public Service Commission, and Minister Responsible for Seniors.

Mr. Calvert was elected as the New Democratic Party leader in January 2001, and assumed the duties of Premier on February 8, 2001. He led his Party to an electoral victory in the 2003 provincial general election.

Mr. Calvert and his wife Betty have two children.

New Democratic 2007 Election Platform

The following provides an overview of key NDP election pledges current as of October 19, 2007.

In the area of health care, the NDP has pledged to introduce a Universal Drug Plan, in which no one will pay more than $15 per prescription for drugs (CBC, October 11, 2007). This plan entails expanding the Seniors’ Drug Plan, which was introduced by the NDP government in July 2007. The new drug plan would cost an estimated $150 million annually.

In employment training, the NDP Party has also promised to create 10,000 more training opportunities to meet the growing need for well educated and highly skilled workers in the province (Saskatchewan NDP, October 17, 2007). These training opportunities would be provided through expanded course offerings at regional colleges; new training and career opportunities for First Nations and Métis people through institutions such as the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology (SIIT) and Dumont Technical Institute; and continued investment in training for health professionals to build upon the province’s health workforce recruitment and retention efforts.

In the area of taxation, the NDP has pledged to provide tax relief by introducing a 30 percent refundable income tax credit for all education property tax paid on principal residences (Saskatchewan NDP, More Money in Your Pocket). The residential property tax relief will be a universal refundable tax rebate, as every Saskatchewan household subject to education property tax will benefit.

Regarding the environment, the NDP announced an energy conservation plan, which the Party argues will save money on energy bills, while helping the province reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Saskatchewan NDP, October 18, 2007). The NDP’s plan includes several initiatives: 1) expansion of existing range of grants, rebates, and exemptions to include even more energy efficient products; 2) a brand-new Energy Conservation Loan Fund for homeowners, farmers and businesses to invest in energy conservation or small-scale renewable energy projects; 3) a Greening Communities Fund to help communities upgrade facilities such as rinks and museums in order to increase their energy efficiency.

Saskatchewan Party: 2007 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Saskatchewan Party

Brad Wall: Saskatchewan Party Leader

Brad Wall was born in Swift Current in 1965 and studied at the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to entering politics, he was the Director of Business Development for the City of Swift Current. Mr. Wall was first elected to the Legislature in 1999 as the MLA for Swift Current. He was subsequently re-elected in 2003. Mr. Wall became Leader of the Saskatchewan Party, and the Leader of the Official Opposition, on March 15, 2004. Mr. Wall and his wife Tami reside in Swift Current with their three children.

Saskatchewan 2007 Election Platform

The following provides an overview of key Saskatchewan Party election pledges, current as of October 19, 2007.

In the area of health care, the Party has promised to spend $275 million to deal with the severe shortage of nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals in the province (Saskatchewan Party, Securing the Future of Healthcare). The Party would add 800 registered nurses to the system, as well as fund 60 additional doctor residency positions in hospitals. The Party would also add 300 registered nurse training seats, raise the number of physician training seats to 100, and improve the current bursary program for the recruitment and retention of local health care professionals.

The Party further pledges to increase the use of nurse practitioners, and to establish a bridging program to make it easier for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) to become Registered Nurses (RNs). It has also promised to formally examine all areas of specialization, from doctors to medical laboratory technologists and radiologists, to determine the current shortages, effectiveness of recruitment efforts, retention issues, and future training requirements.

The Saskatchewan Party has rejected the NDP’s proposed Universal Drug Plan, opting instead to change the current Seniors’ Drug Plan (Saskatchewan Party, Affordable Prescription Drugs for Families and Seniors). Under the Party’s plan, seniors with a net income of more than $64,043 would no longer be covered under the Seniors’ Drug Plan. However, the Party would extend the $15 cap on drug prescriptions to children ages 14 years or under.

In the area of taxation, the Party has promised to provide tax relief through the following initiatives:

Double the Education Property Tax Rebate over four years
Introduce a new Active Saskatchewan Families Benefit of up to $150 per year for each child aged six to 14, to assist with the cost of cultural, recreational, and sports activities.
Double the Caregiver Personal Tax Credit for persons taking care of a parent or grandparent aged 65 or older in their home, or persons who have an adult-aged dependent with a disability living in their home.
Eliminate the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on the sale of used cars and trucks.

The Party has also unveiled a plan to address infrastructure maintenance and construction (Saskatchewan Party, Fixing Highways and Improving Municipal Streets). It would dedicate all fuel tax collected to highway and transportation infrastructure. The Party would also use $140 million from the sale of the New Grade upgrader to fund highway and municipal road construction. In addition to this new funding, the Party made the further commitments:

Establish a five-year rolling plan for highway maintenance and construction, with a focus on improving safety and investing in infrastructure that promotes economic growth;
Place the emphasis on quality construction, focusing on the implementation of new construction technology specifically designed to meet the demands of our climate and large-scale truck traffic;
Create a transportation Centre of Excellence, which will include support for innovative urban road construction initiatives being developed at the Communities of Tomorrow research centre at the University of Regina.

In the area of education, the Saskatchewan Party has pledged to increase Kindergarten to Grade 12 education funding by 20 percent, or $118 million, over four years (Saskatchewan Party, Property Tax Relief). The Party also announced a Graduate Retention Program to keep graduates in Saskatchewan; post-secondary graduates who stay in the province would be eligible for tuition rebates of up to $20,000 (Saskatchewan Party, Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program). The Party has pledged to provide $3 million annually for a Saskatchewan Scholarship Fund for post-secondary education.

Saskatchewan Liberal Party: 2007 Election Overview

Leader bio and election platform for the Liberals

David Karwacki: Saskatchewan Liberal Party Leader

David Karwacki grew up in Saskatoon. He graduated from the College of Commerce at the University of Saskatchewan in 1989. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Karwacki was founder and Chief Operating Officer of Stare Produce, Ltd., an international fresh produce distribution company. He has also served as President of the University of Saskatchewan Huskie Basketball Alumni Association, and as a board member of the University of Saskatchewan Athletic Endowment Fund. He was elected leader of Saskatchewan Liberals in October 2001, and would seek election to the legislature as the member for Saskatoon Meewasin.

Liberal Party 2007 Election Platform

The following provides an overview of key Liberal Party election pledges, current as of October 19, 2007.

The Liberal Party has proposed several initiatives to improve government accountability and transparency (Saskatchewan Liberal Party, Accountability and Transparency). The Party has promised to give the Provincial Auditor and Conflict of Interest Commissioner increased powers to monitor and report on the use of the Legislative budget, as well as increase their budgets by $1 million each. The Party has also pledged to introduce rules that would require MLAs, Cabinet Ministers and their staff, as well as senior public servants, to publicly report how their office budgets are used on an expense-by-expense basis. The Party would introduce the Fairness in Government Advertising Act that would require the Saskatchewan Provincial Auditor to screen proposed government advertising.

In the area of taxation, the Party has promised to eliminate the Education Property Tax over four years. Instead, funds for primary and secondary education would come from general provincial revenues.

In regard to health care, the Party has promised to transfer responsibility for community health services from not-for-profit, unionized Community Health Centres that are accountable to their community through a local board of directors (Saskatchewan Liberal Party, Community Health Services). According to the Party, this move will allow health regions to focus on key regional health services (such as surgeries specialist services, clinical nursing care, and diagnostics), and will result in a more cost-effective delivery of community health services.

The Party has also promised to address waiting times in the public health care system (Saskatchewan Liberal Party, Health Care Wait Times). Central to the Liberal plan is the use of accredited, unionized, not-for-profit Surgical and Diagnostic Community Health Centers. The Liberals would require health regions to accommodate orthopedic emergencies within one day and medically necessary surgeries or diagnostics within eight weeks. If a health region is unable to do so, patients would have the option of attending a Surgical and Diagnostic Community Health Centers at full financial reimbursement from the province.

The Party would also address the problem of nursing shortages and working conditions (Saskatchewan Liberal Party, The Liberal Plan for Nursing). Key components of the Liberal plan include:

Provide additional training to 600 licensed practical nurses (LPN) in order to rapidly reassign them as registered nurses with clinical duties and a full increase in pay.
Provide additional training to another 400 LPNs to become registered nurses to allow for more registered nurses to work in the community through Community Health Centres and schools in order to actually promote health and prevent disease and illness. The total cost would be $13 million, including benefits.
In order to replace the loss of 1,000 LPNs to RNs, the Party would create 1,000 new non-clinical Nursing Assistant positions to perform all non-clinical, non-professional and administrative functions previously performed by nurses.
In order to assist with recruitment and retention, the Party will offer guaranteed full-time employment to any new nursing graduate from Saskatchewan.
Create a joint recruitment and retention fund for health regions and the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses to proactively assess and resolve local workplace issues in order to meet mutually agreed upon recruitment and retention targets.
In order to act quickly to fill existing vacancies, and prevent the loss of more RNs while the retraining of LPNs proceeds, the Party would meet annually with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses to set goals that are mutually agreed upon, work together to accomplish them and review the results quarterly.

In the area of education, the Liberal Party has pledged to transform the role of schools in the community (Saskatchewan Liberal Party, Schools at the Heart of Community). Under the Liberal plan, schools would offer children and families access to a full range of health, social, justice, and community services. This would include placement of pediatricians, clinical nurses, public health nurses, mental health therapists, addictions workers, social workers, dental therapists, exercise therapists, dieticians and speech language pathologists in schools to offer services to children and families. Furthermore, the Liberals would hire Community Programming Coordinators, who would be responsible for school-based health, social and youth justice services, and organizing after-school programming that meets the needs of the community.

The Liberal Party would also pursue initiatives geared towards keeping children in school. These include:

Provide parents on social assistance with a direct revenue increase of $50 per month per child if their K-8 child maintains an 85 percent school attendance record;
Allows teachers, social workers, and nurses to share information to ensure the best interest of children; and
Attendance records would be verified and sent to the Department of Community Resources, the Ministry responsible for social assistance payments, for administration of parent payments.

Regarding the environment, the Liberal Party has promised to make curbside recycling a provincial priority (Saskatchewan Liberal Party, Curbside Recycling). This includes the creation of two funds to support the implementation of blue box, black box, and organic curbside recycling programs in Saskatoon and Regina, as well as curbside recycling in other Saskatchewan municipalities. The Party also promised to introduce a public education program of $1 million per year to promote proper recycling practices and new curbside recycling programs.

Minor Parties in the 2007 Saskatchewan Election

List and links to minor political parties in the election

In addition to the three major political parties (the NDP, the Saskatchewan Party, and the Liberals), there are several minor parties participating in the election. These include:

Results of the 2007 Saskatchewan Election

The Saskatchewan Party wins a majority government

In the 2007 election, the Saskatchewan Party, helmed by Brad Wall, easily defeated the other majority parties and formed a majority government. The Party won 38 of the 58 seats in the provincial legislature, forming the Official Opposition, with 50.8 percent of the popular vote (CBC, November 8, 2007). The New Democratic Party came in second place, wining 20 seats in the legislature and 37.2 percent of the vote (CBC, November 8, 2007). The Liberal and Green parties trailed the two major political parties, winning no seats in the legislature, and with 9.5 and 2.02 percent of the popular vote respectively (CBC, November 8, 2007).

Sources and Links to More Information

Lists of article sources and links to more on this topic

Sources Used in this Article

Makarenko, J. “2003 Saskatchewan General Election.” Mapleleafweb.com. 01 October 2003. 19 September 2007. <http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/2003-saskatchewan-general-election>
“Registered Political Parties.” Elections Saskatchewan. 19 September 2007. <http://www.elections.sk.ca/parties-candidates.php>
“Saskatchewan Votes: 2007.” CBC. 8 November 2007. 9 November 2007.<http://www.cbc.ca/saskvotes2007>
“Official results: Weyburn-Big Muddy By-election – June 19, 2006.” Elections Saskatchewan. 19 September 2007. <http://www.elections.sk.ca/weyburn/results.php>
“Sask. Party Wins Big in Martensville.” CBC.ca. 05 March 2007. 19 September 2007. <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2007/03/05/martenville-decision.html>
“Calvert Promises $150M universal Drug Plan.” CBC.ca. 11 October 2007. 19 September 2007. <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskvotes2007/story/2007/10/11/drug-plan.html >
“NDP on the Ropes: Poll.” Canada.com. 28 April 2007. 19 September 2007. <http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/story.html?id=a5316205-0061-4a93-a667-2df887909d5c>
“Provincial Party Support Provincial Party Results/June 2007.” Environics.net. 02 July 2007. 19 September 2007. <http://erg.environics.net/media_room/default.asp?aID=642>
“NDP Announces 10,000 Training Opportunities.” Saskatchewan NDP. 17 October 2007. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskndp.com/news?id=99>
“More Money in Your Pocket.” Saskatchewan NDP. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskndp.com/issues?id=27>
“NDP Energy Plan Will Save People Money on Energy Bills.” Saskatchewan NDP. 18 October 2007. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskndp.com/news?id=101>
“Securing the Future of Healthcare.” Saskatchewan Party. 01 November 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/healthcare.html>
“Affordable Prescription Drugs for Families and Seniors.” Saskatchewan Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/drug_plan.html>
“Fixing highways and Improving Municipal Streets.” Saskatchewan Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/fixing_highways.html>
“Property Tax Relief.” Saskatchewan Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/property_tax_relief.html>
“Eliminating the PST on Used Cars.” Saskatchewan Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/used_cars.html>
“Active Families and Caregiver Tax Credits.” Saskatchewan Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/families.html>
“Saskatchewan Graduate retention Program.” Saskatchewan Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskparty.com/graduate_retention.html>
“Accountability and Transparency.” Saskatchewan Liberal Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskliberal.ca/issues/accountability>
“Community Health Centres.” Saskatchewan Liberal Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskliberal.ca/issues/communityhealth>
“Health Care Wait Times.” Saskatchewan Liberal Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskliberal.ca/issues/waittimes>
“The Liberal Plan for Nursing.” Saskatchewan Liberal Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskliberal.ca/issues/nursing>
“Schools at the Heart of the Community.” Saskatchewan Liberal Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskliberal.ca/issues/schools>
“Curbside Recycling.” Saskatchewan Liberal Party. 19 September 2007. <http://www.saskliberal.ca/issues/curbside>

Links to More Information

Lorne Calvert

Greg Farries — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:27:43 -0600

Lorne Calvert became Leader of the Official Opposition after his incumbent New Democratic Party was defeated by the Saskatchewan Party in the provincial election held November 7, 2007. He served as the province’s 13th Premier, from 2001 to 2007.

Calvert has served as the Saskatchewan NDP leader since January 2001 after its previous leader, Roy Romanow, retired from politics. In assuming the NDP leadership mantle, Calvert also assumed the duties of premier. He was subsequently elected as the MLA for Saskatoon Riversdale in a by-election in March 2001, and was re-elected as MLA and Premier in the November 2003 provincial general election.

He entered provincial politics in 1986 as the MLA for Moose Jaw South. He was re-elected in 1991 and 1995 as the MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow. Calvert served as a Cabinet Minister from 1992 until 1998 in the New Democratic Party, in Premier Roy Romanow’s government, holding many portfolios: Associate Minister of Health; Minister Responsible for the Wakamow Valley Authority; Minister Responsible for SaskPower and SaskEnergy; Minister of Health; Minister of Social Services; Minister Responsible for the Public Service Commission; Minister Responsible for Seniors; and Minister Responsible for the Office of Disabilities.

Calvert was born on December 24, 1954, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where he was also raised and educated. He studied economics at the University of Regina and theology at the University of Saskatchewan. Calvert was ordained in the United Church of Canada in 1976. Prior to entering politics, he served congregations in Perdue, Gravelbourg, Bateman, Shamrock, Coderre, Palmer, and Moose Jaw. Calvert and his wife Betty Sluzalo of Perdue, Saskatchewan, have two children.

2003 Saskatchewan General Election

Jay Makarenko — Wed, 01 Oct 2003 00:00:00 -0600

On November 5, 2003, Saskatchewan voters returned Premier Lorne Calvert and the provincial New Democratic Party to government, this time with a slight majority in the legislative assembly. The election win was the fourth consecutive victory for the NDP, and represented an improvement for the Party from the last general election in 1999. This article provides an introduction to the history, issues, party leaders and platforms, and results of the 2003 election.

Saskatchewan Electoral Backgrounder

Previous elections and pre-election party standings

2003 Saskatchewan Election Issues

Key issues and debates in the election

2003 Saskatchewan New Democratic Party

Leader and key policies of the NDP

2003 Saskatchewan Party

Leader and key policies of the Saskatchewan Party

2003 Saskatchewan Liberal Party

Leader and key policies of the Liberal Party

2003 Saskatchewan Election Results

NDP win a majority government

Links to More Information

List of links for more on this topic

Saskatchewan Electoral Backgrounder

Previous elections and pre-election party standings

1999 General Election Results

Saskatchewan’s last general election was held in 1999. The Saskatchewan NDP split the seats with the opposition parties. Following the election, the NDP and the Liberal Party formed a coalition government, with the coalition falling apart in 2000. Since that time, the NDP have maintained power through the support of independent Members of the Legislative Assembly. Results of the 1999 general election are as follows:

Political Party	# of Votes Cast	% of Vote	Candidates Elected
New Democratic Party	157,046	38.73	29
Saskatchewan Party	160,603	39.61	25
Liberal	81,694	20.15	4
New Green Alliance	4,101	1.01	-
Progressive Conservatives	1,609	.40	-
Independent	422	.10	-
Total	405,475	100.00	58

Provincial By-elections (1999-2003)

Since the last general election, there have been eight provincial by-elections. The New Democratic Party won five of the by-elections, while the Saskatchewan Party took three.

For results of provincial by-elections between 1999 and 2003:

Elections Saskatchewan: Historical Overview of Provincial General and By-Elections

Pre-election Party Standings

Prior to dissolution of the provincial legislature, the NDP controlled the provincial legislative assembly through the cooperation of independents. Below are the seat totals for each party.

Party	Seats	Status
New Democratic Party	28	Government
Saskatchewan Party	26	Opposition
Independents	4

2003 Saskatchewan Election Issues

Key issues and debates in the election

Ideological Election

The 2003 general election will be a strong ideological battle between the main parties. On the one end of the spectrum is the social democratic New Democratic Party, with its mainly urban support. On the other end of the spectrum is the neo-liberal Saskatchewan Party, with a large rural support.

The core of this ideological battle centres on the government’s role in the province’s economy. Historically, the New Democratic Party has argued that the province’s small population and rural-based economy required a direct government role in managing the economy. This included state-directed investment and publicly owned corporations in key industries such as telecommunications and energy. The Saskatchewan Party advocates a minimal role for government in the economy, and a greater reliance on free enterprise as an engine for growth. This would involve privately directed investment (as opposed to government directed) and a reduced or even eliminated role for publicly owned Crown corporations.

The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is attempting to strike a balance between the two main parties. The Liberals argue that government can be activist, but can no longer be interventionist in the global economy. The Liberal Party would not privatize Crown corporations, but is committed to changing their focus.

The Liberal Variable

Like the 1999 general election, the result of this election looks to be tight. If neither the NDP nor the Saskatchewan Party wins a majority government, the Liberal Party could be in a position to decide who will form the next government. In 1999, the New Democratic Party became the government by forging a coalition with the Liberal Party. Current Liberal leader David Karwacki was a very vocal opponent of the 1999 NDP/Liberal coalition. He may therefore pass on such an offer this time around. However, there are strong ideological and policy differences between the Liberal and Saskatchewan parties, including the role of Crown corporations, government funding, and health care administration. A coalition between these two parties would involve major policy concessions by both sides – concessions that neither party may be willing to make.

NDP Cartoon Scandal

The New Democratic Party hit its first campaign glitch when an internal memo was leaked to the press. The memo, drawn by the former NDP communications coordinator, was a cartoon depicting Saskatchewan Party Leader Elwin Hermanson, dressed in a Nazi-style uniform, loading NDP sympathizers onto railcars. The cartoon was circulated among about 40 high-ranking government workers until it was leaked to the press. Premier and NDP leader Lorne Calvert fired one employee and accepted the resignation of the communications coordinator. Premier Calvert also publicly apologized to Mr. Hermanson and the Jewish community. Harry Meyers, campaign chairman for the Saskatchewan Party, said that the Premier should have taken stronger action, but he was willing to put the incident behind him.

During the election, it was unclear how the incident would impact the election. Voters may have simply written the incident off as an isolated one, especially considering Premier Calvert’s moral image as a minister. However, past examples exist where such incidents hurt a political party. Most recently, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader and then-premier Ernie Eves received a backlash for his repeated insults of Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty. In the 1993 federal election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives under leader Kim Campbell ran unflattering television ads aimed at Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. It was considered by many analysts to be a contributing factor to the near-elimination of the Progressive Conservative Party in Parliament.

2003 Saskatchewan NDP Backgrounder

Leader and key policies of the NDP

Leader of the Saskatchewan NDP

Lorne Calvert was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He attended university in Regina where he studied economics, then pursued theology studies in Saskatoon. Mr. Calvert was ordained in the United Church of Canada in 1976. He served as Minister of the Zion United Church in Moose Jaw from 1979 until 1986. He was first elected to the provincial legislature in 1986 for the riding of Moose Jaw South. Over the course of his political career, Mr. Calvert has served as Associate Minister of Health, Minister Responsible for the Wakamow Valley Authority, Minister Responsible for SaskPower and SaskEnergy, Deputy Chair of the Crown Corporations Committee, Member of the Legislature’s Standing Committee on the Environment, Minister of Health, Minister of Social Services, Minister Responsible for the Public Service Commission, and Minister Responsible for Seniors.

Mr. Calvert was elected as the New Democratic Party leader in 2001, and assumed the duties of Premier on February 8, 2001.

Saskatchewan NDP Platform

The New Democratic Party platform focuses on four major commitments.

The first is building on the future for young people, which includes educational and funding initiatives to help young people build careers in the province. Specific initiatives include granting limited interest-free periods on student loans for graduates who establish their careers in the province, expansion of the bursary, scholarship and co-op education programs for students, increased funding for trade schools, regional colleges and primary and secondary education, and providing greater access to small business and farming loans for young entrepreneurs and farmers.

Another initiative centres on building a green and prosperous economy, which involves expanding the province’s economy in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. Specific policies include expanding the use of “green” or environmentally friendly energy in the province, supporting environmental protection and energy conservation, creating an even more competitive business environment, building on research, development and innovation, strengthening rural and northern development, and building infrastructure to support economic development and diversification.

A third commitment of the Party is to increase the quality of life for families in the province. Specific policies include the following providing the lowest-cost package of utilities; reducing property tax pressures; indexing tax credits and brackets to keep pace with inflation; providing responsible tax cuts that do not threaten social programs; reducing the cost of post-secondary education by increasing bursaries and reducing debt burdens; providing new affordable housing for seniors; and regularly reviewing and increasing the minimum wage.

Finally, the Party made the pledge to provide the best public health care in Canada. This involves a commitment to keeping the province’s health care system publicly funded and administered. Other policies in this context include reducing waiting lists by purchasing new equipment and hiring new staff; improving front-line care by expanding clinic, home and TeleHealth systems; training and recruiting more health care professionals; and providing greater spending on facilities, including a new University of Saskatchewan Health Sciences Complex.

2003 Saskatchewan Party Backgrounder

Leader and key policies of the Saskatchewan Party

Leader of the Saskatchewan Party

Elwin Hermanson was born near Beechy, Saskatchewan. Prior to entering politics he was a farm operator, and also served on the Board of Directors of the Full Gospel Bible Institute and the Beechy-Demaine Economic Development Committee. Mr. Hermanson first entered politics at the federal level. He served three terms on the Reform Party’s National Executive Council and was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Riding of Kindersley-Lloydminster in 1993. In 1998, Mr. Hermanson became the first elected leader of the Saskatchewan Party. In 1999, he was elected as the MLA for the Rosetown-Biggar constituency and leader of the Official Opposition in the Saskatchewan legislature.

Saskatchewan Party Platform

The Saskatchewan Party platform involves an aggressive policy of economic growth, social spending, and reform. The Party will look to expand the economy through broad and deep tax cuts, with particular emphasis on small businesses and investment. Resulting growth in the economy (and increased tax revenues) will be used to increase spending in areas of healthcare, post-secondary education, and infrastructure.

In the area of the economy, the Party has made the following commitments:

Establish “Enterprise Saskatchewan” to aggressively market Saskatchewan to the world and focus the government on growing the province’s population by 100,000 people over 10 years.
Reduce income taxes for all brackets and remove thousands of seniors and low-income families from the rolls altogether.
Encourage small business growth by eliminating small business taxes.
Encourage investment by reducing capital tax by half. Work with the federal government to establish an agricultural safety net program.
Introduce balanced labour relations legislation.

Regarding the operation of government, the Party committed to:

Government spending reforms, including prohibiting budget deficits by introducing balanced budget legislation, and introducing programs to make the government spending process more transparent.
Reform Crown corporations, including a focus on key businesses (power, gas, telecommunications, and insurance) with low rates for consumers, limit competition between Crown corporations and private businesses, and end spending by Crown corporations on investments outside of the province.

In the fields of health care, education and social services, the Saskatchewan Party promised to:

Build a new integrated Health Services Facility at the University of Saskatchewan to attract and retain doctors, nurses, and other health care providers.
Introduce a health Care Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
Strengthen the provincial emergency medical response system, including introducing an air ambulance helicopter service.
Establish the lowest income tax rates in Canada for graduating post-secondary students by providing an annual $7,000 tax deduction for four years after graduation.
Increase post-secondary funding by five percent annually.
Implement a workfare program to move employable welfare recipients from welfare to work.

Finally, in regard to communities and infrastructure, the Party made the following commitments:

Increase municipal transfers by $80 million over four years to keep municipal tax rates low and renew municipal infrastructures.
Reduce crime by establishing a boot camp for repeat young offenders and hiring 200 more police officers.
Spend $1.2 billion over four years to rebuild a safe and effective highway system.

2003 Saskatchewan Liberal Party Backgrounder

Leader and key policies of the Liberal Party

Leader of the Saskatchewan Liberals

Saskatchewan Liberals Party

The Liberal Party platform focuses on three key areas: economic development through a career development strategy, creating a better economic and social environment for families, and reforming government.

In the area of economic policy and career development, the Liberals look to strengthen the province’s economy by creating careers, not just jobs. They presented a strategic plan based on building successful, export-driven industry clusters in every region of the province. Specific policies include:

Implement an industry cluster strategy that includes diversifying the traditional economic base, sustaining a critical mass of local knowledge workers, and building entrepreneurial spirit.
Use Crown corporations to develop a skilled workforce and promote innovation and investment in key sectors of the economy, such as the energy industry.
Use the post-education system for knowledge production and transfer to the economy, and workforce development. This includes maintaining access for all to post-secondary education and providing incentives for graduates to stay in the province, including student loan reduction programs that have a residency requirement.
Increase investment in the province by establishing an Investment Partnership office that would match capital firms with new businesses, as well as enter into joint private/public investment ventures.

Regarding Saskatchewan families, the Liberal Party is committed to building a home for families by improving the province’s economic and social environment. Specific policies include:

Provide affordable housing through low-rent programs and provide access to home building capital for lower income families.
Provide a strong publicly funded education system with an emphasis on equality of access and opportunity and a student-centred focus.
Commit to a publicly funded, universal healthcare system with accountability and transparency programs.
Improve communities through youth crime prevention programs, accessible housing, and neighbourhood development strategies.
Improve the social and economic situation of First Nations and Métis peoples. This includes programs that provide access to housing, increasing funding for post-secondary education, the encouragement of culturally appropriate health promotion programs, and using Crown corporations to promote employment opportunities and skills development for Aboriginal and Métis peoples.

Finally, in the context of government reform, the Liberal Party is committed to building strong community leaders and government in the province. Specific policies and programs include:

Ensure transparency and accountability in government spending and the operation of Crown corporations.
Increase democratic participation through greater respect of the legislature, and empowering committees of the legislature to review public appointments and to initiate legislation.

2003 Saskatchewan Election Results

NDP win a majority government

Lorne Calvert and the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party managed to win a slight majority government on election day. The election win is the NDP’s fourth consecutive victory, and represents an improvement over its 1999 election results. The Saskatchewan Party came in second, forming the Official Opposition.

Political Parties	Popular Vote	Seats Won	Status
New Democratic Party	44.62%	30	Majority Government
Saskatchewan Party	39.35%	28	Official Opposition
Liberal Party	14.17%	-	-

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