Slogging it out in the trenches of Saskatchewan
Stéphane Dion spent a good part of Friday trying to add a splash of red to Tory-blue Saskatchewan.
Susan Bonner
The Liberal Green Shift is not popular in the province. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has likened it to the much-loathed National Energy Program of Pierre Trudeau back in the 80s. Saskatchewan is enjoying its new found status as a "have" province thanks to an energy boom. But the premier thinks the Green Shift, which features a carbon tax as well as lower income taxes, will snuff out the province's new-found success.
The former leader of the premier's Saskatchewan party is running for the Conservatives against Goodale. And she could be a contender for a cabinet position if the Conservatives win and Stephen Harper decides to remove the embattled Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster) from cabinet.
Dion also came to champion one of his so-called star recruits.
Calvin Johnston is running for the Liberals in Palliser. Dion calls the former Regina police chief "one of the most successful chiefs of police in Canadian history." Johnston may have a chance in the riding because the Conservative incumbent, Dave Batters, is not running.
It should be noted, though, that the NDP will also be pushing hard in the province. It is a heartbreaker for the party that it holds no seats in Tommy Douglas land and it, too, will be trying to capitalize on the Ritz controversy.
— Susan Bonner
About the Authors
- Rosemary Barton started her television career reporting from Quebec City where she covered the ins and outs of Quebec politics. She moved to the CBC Parliamentary Bureau in 2007. She also stood on the side of road awaiting U.S. President Barack Obama's motorcade for hours in the cold. When she finally spotted him, all of Canada heard her shriek, "I saw him!"
- Alison Crawford worked in Fredericton, Calgary and Winnipeg before returning to her hometown to work in the CBC parliamentary bureau. Her beats include the RCMP, justice, public safety and the Liberals. Alison credits her investigative skills as well as a national etiquette column and coverage of a ferret Christmas party, with having prepared her for covering national politics.
- Andrew Davidson is a producer for the CBC politics page in Toronto. He joined CBCNews.ca's national desk in 2006 and was the lead news writer for the website's 2008 federal election coverage.
- Chris Hall is the National Affairs Editor for CBC News. He's been a member of the CBC Parliamentary Bureau since 1998. That adds up to 11 budgets, four elections, three prime ministers and too many confidence votes to count. Chris started his career in print before moving to the CBC in 1992. Since then, he's worked in Toronto, Halifax and St. John's, as well as Ottawa.
- Leslie MacKinnon Leslie's been working in news and current affairs since newsrooms used teletype, televison was shot on film and radio tape was edited with a razor blade. She saw through The Journal's long run on CBC-TV, and since then has worked in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa in the CBC's various permutations. Right now, she's a TV news reporter in the political bureau, and likes certain parts of Ottawa - the canal, the Hill - a lot.
- Janyce McGregor has been a television producer in the CBC's Parliamentary Bureau since 2001. She started her career working for Studio 2 on TVOntario. In 2005 her then-doctoral student husband persuaded her to follow him to the U.K., where she worked for BBC World Service Radio in London. Janyce is originally a farm girl from southwestern Ontario. Her most important job title is "Norah's Mom."
- Chris Rands has been a member of the Parliamentary bureau since 2001. He started at Toronto's AM Radio giant CFRB before moving to CBC's National Radio News in 1996. Chris has worked in Toronto, Moncton, Sudbury, Regina, Washington and St John's. Every time Chris walks up to the Peace Tower, he wants to throw his hat in the air like Mary Tyler Moore.
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