Saskatchewan’s political parties are off to the races, marking the official start of election campaigns leading up to the vote on Oct. 28.
Saskatchewan’s provincial election officially kicked off on Tuesday after Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe asked Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty to dissolve the legislature and sign the writs of election.
Speaking from Saskatoon in his first campaign announcement, Moe said this election presents a “clear choice” between the two parties. He said his party will run on its record of building and growth.
“The Saskatchewan Party has a plan for growing our economy, creating jobs, building our province and keeping life affordable,” he said.
“The NDP’s record in government was one of losing jobs and opportunities, closing schools and hospitals, raising taxes and driving people out of Saskatchewan.”
To win a majority on Oct. 28, Moe’s Saskatchewan Party or Carla Beck’s NDP will need at least 31 seats from the province’s 61 constituencies. The campaign period, set to last 27 days, will be Moe’s second as party leader and Beck’s first.
A recent Insightrix poll showed a razor-thin margin in the popular vote, with the NDP registering 48 per cent as the preferred party among those who have made up their minds — one point ahead of the Sask. Party.
But, given the break of constituencies, modelling still indicated another Sask. Party victory.
In interview Sunday, Beck said people in Saskatchewan “deserve better than what we have now, (and) they’ve been discouraged.”
The Saskatchewan health-care system will be the top priority, she added. Beck said she also wants to take on the cost of living by reversing some of the PST expansion enacted over the past few years and offering a six-month suspension of the fuel tax.
“There are some very practical measures we can enact,” she said.
“We have $20 billion in revenue in this province of 1.3 million people,” she said. “This isn’t a revenue problem, it’s a management problem.”
Moe’s Saskatchewan Party is seeking a fifth straight majority after 17 years in office. In his first official campaign announcement on Tuesday, he said his party would deliver the “largest income tax reduction seen since 2008.”
He said that will be achieved through “increasing the personal exemption, increasing disposal exemption, increasing the child exemption, and increasing the senior supplement by $500. Each year for the next four years.”
The parties have already been door-knocking and announcing policies and planks, but now the race is officially on.
There are seven registered political parties, though only the NDP, Sask. Party and SUP held seats as of the election call. The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Green Party, Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Progress Party are also vying for votes and seats in this election.
More to come…