REGINA, SASKATOON - The federal election campaign finally heated up in Saskatchewan this week, as federal leaders finally took their campaigns to the province.
Two federal leaders, the Liberals’ Mark Carney and NDP’s Jagmeet Singh, made their way to Saskatoon on Wednesday.
Carney spoke to a packed hall of supporters at the Remai Modern on Wednesday afternoon. He was introduced at that rally by Liberal candidates Greg Poelzer of Saskatoon-University and Buckley Belanger of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River, as well as by his wife Diana Fox Carney.
It was a typical Carney campaign speech as he touted familiar Liberal themes and took on Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The crowd was enthusiastic, but Carney did have to contend with hecklers who disrupted the proceedings there on a couple of occasions.
At one point hecklers shouted “51st State, don’t listen to him” at him before being removed.
“That’s misguided,” Carney responded, adding “we value diversity in this country unlike the United States of America.”
Later that evening, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh held his own campaign rally in Saskatoon. It was a brief appearance for Singh and a smaller audience, but it was filled with energy as Singh led supporters in jumping up and down and showing enthusiasm for the NDP.
On Thursday morning, Singh was still in Saskatoon for a news conference in which he focused on the health care issue.
There, Singh took aim at Carney, accusing him of preparing to cut health care.
“He’s going to cut spending. He’s doubled down on cutting spending,” said Singh.
Singh pledged the NDP would never support a budget that cuts health care.
“Our commitment to you is New Democrats will never support a budget that cuts the things that you need,” said Singh.
“We will never allow that to happen, we will always fight back.”
When reporters pointed to a response from Carney that day where he said he would not cut health care and would strengthen it, Singh doubled down by saying Carney would cut the operating budget.
“There’s no debate he would cut spending, he’s said that again and again,” said Singh. “To achieve his goals that’s going to be a $43 billion cut. How is he going to do that? What’s he going to cut?”
Following that appearance, Singh had a meeting that day with leaders at the FSIN.
Prior to his appearance in Saskatoon, Singh had responded to reporters in BC about comments made by Humboldt-Watrous MLA Racquel Hilbert referring to him as a “terrorist” in the Legislative Assembly — a story that made major news in Saskatchewan.
“I am worried about why someone would say that,” Singh told reporters.
“I am worried about what a kid in the classroom where this MLA was a teacher, what that kid would’ve gone through. Maybe they were made to feel like they were a threat, that they were someone people should be suspicious of because they looked different...
"When did we get to the point in our society where that is okay?”
The choice of Saskatoon as a campaign stop for both Singh and Carney's leaders tours this week seemed to indicate that Saskatchewan's largest city was considered a target area by both the NDP and Liberals. Both parties hope to pull off upsets against Conservative incumbents Brad Redekopp in Saskatoon West, Corey Tochor in Saskatoon-University and Kevin Waugh in Saskatoon South.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has not yet made it to Saskatchewan this election, as he campaigned this week in Edmonton and in southwestern Ontario.
The appearance by both federal Liberal and NDP leaders was welcome after Saskatchewan was seemingly ignored by all the leaders’ tours for the first two and a half weeks of the campaign.
Earlier this week, provincial leaders were asked if they were concerned about a lack of attention Saskatchewan seemed to be getting from the federal parties on issues like steel and canola tariffs.
“I would like to hear more about what really is fuelling and powering not only Canada but the world and that is the prairie provinces,” Premier Scott Moe said on Tuesday. “There should more discussion with respect not only to the economic contributions the prairie provinces make to the entirety of Canada, but more discussion on how we’re going to expand the industries that are creating wealth here.”
Moe was less concerned that the federal leaders hadn't shown up yet, telling reporters he expected “you’ll see them here at some point in the campaign.”
“I think it’s incumbent on all of those leaders, political leaders, leaders in the business community to impress on all of those running to be Prime Minister that these are incredibly impactful,” said Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck.
Beck again pointed to her letter that she sent to all federal leaders on priorities she expected to see addressed, including getting a $10 a day child care agreement done.
“It is disappointing that we haven’t seen more attention placed on this province. I think we need to get a bit louder and demand those answers from all of those leaders.”
As for the campaigns in Saskatchewan ridings, nominations have now closed at Elections Canada this week for the April 28th vote. Only the Conservatives, Liberals and New Democrats have been able to post full slates of 14 candidates in the province in time for the nomination deadline.
The NDP filled out their final two candidate spots on the weekend, with Chris Simmie officially running in Regina-Qu’Appelle and Kaitlyn Stadnyk running in Regina-Wascana.
No other federal parties are running full slates in the province, with the Green Party fielding candidates in eight Saskatchewan ridings, the PPC in six, and the Libertarian and Canadian Future Party in one each. There are also two independents running.
