And so it begins...
October 12, 2007 | 02:10 PM
On the big day of the election call, I caught Saskatchewan party leader Brad Wall's speech where he referred to the NDP as "tired and old" every other sentence. He also repeated "positive change" so often that I was lulled into somewhat of a trance. I heard more talk of change from Liberal leader David Karwacki the following day. He even predicted the election outcome of being "a change" (um…like winning his seat). I didn't happen to catch any interesting quotes from Premier Lorne Calvert but I highly doubt that the word "change" crossed the lips of the leader of the long time NDP government as he called the imminent election.
On the day after the election, the campaign promises came out in full force. Since I get most of my news online, I thought that bookmarking each party's website last week was a good start (the Liberals earned extra coolness points for having Facebook groups for a number of their candidates). I figured that once the race had begun that I could manage the flow of information on my desktop. I glanced at the local online media headlines, skimmed through a few editorials and streamed some local radio. I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t focus. I turned my PC off.
Maybe it was the gloomy, windy weather, but I felt caught up in the whirlwind of political rhetoric. It would have been easy to crawl into bed after work and hide from it all. Instead, I decided to contemplate this whole idea of change.
Things change. People change. Politics change. How we deal with change seems to be what the election is about.
Without a doubt, Saskatchewan has changed. I grew up during the Devine and Romanow eras. As a child, I was painfully aware of the importance of farmers on the livelihood of the province. It was commonly said that “if the farmers had money, then the rest of us would”. In my experience during the eighties and nineties, a couple of recessions and drought years proved the theory. Agriculture was the linchpin of Saskatchewan’s economy.
Since I left the province for university and then off to a foreign land (yeah, the US) to seek my fortune, I admittedly didn’t keep up to closely to the goings on in my home province. As I return, it feels like I’ve been sleeping for 15 years. Things are not as I had left them.
Saskatchewan is now a “have” province. Wow. How did that happen? Assorted industries from natural resources to manufacturing have boomed. Farms have diversified. The current government will gladly accept most of the credit. However, I wonder if the change is not largely due to a “trickle-east” of Alberta’s economical boom. In that case, the Conservative government in Alberta would gladly accept the credit.
This brings me back to the dilemma of how each party proposes to, not only manage the current state of change, but propagate new change in a desirable direction. Do we change our government for the sake of change? Or, as do we stick with who and what we know? It is human nature to resist change although it is inevitable.
I would rather thrive on change than cope with it. That said. I’m still not sure who to look to. Which party can I trust to keep Saskatchewan as a “have” province while ensuring that all of its residents "have" all they need?
Comments: (8)
As a Sask ex-pat now living in Alberta, I think it's patently obvious that the key difference between these two provinces is the type of government we've had. Saskatchewan has massive amounts of natural resources, including fossil fuels. It was a conscious NDP decision, tracing back to good ol' Tommy Douglas to limit/prevent the development of Sask's natural resources, out of fear of the influence the companies doing the developing would have on Saskatchewan. The fruits of this fear are obvious to anyone not blinded. Instead of Alberta bursting at the seams, we should instead today be seeing both Alberta and Saskatchewan together seeing their economies rolling along strongly. It is precisely Saskatchewan being carried on the coattails of Alberta, as well as its own oil windfall from high prices, that have pushed it into a 'have' province.
I'm hopeful for Saskatchewan in light of today's election. 16 years is too long for any democratic government. Yes, we in Alberta will have to change ours again soon (hopefully) with another (in my opinion, I'd prefer something completely new - not just changing the guard to one of the opposition parties).
Posted November 7, 2007 10:10 PM
Missy, do you think the fact alberta sits on the western world's largest supply of oil and natural gas has anything to do with their retired debt? Do you even know how much the NDP has reduced the PC Devine debt since 1991? Do some research, stop spouting nonsense please.
Posted October 30, 2007 02:17 PM
The (Regina NDP)opps!I mean Sask NDP beleive in progress they just don't like change!!
Mr Popowich how about a little history lesson which province had more debt than Sask when the NDP took power in Sask 16 years ago???
Believe it or not Alberta!! How has your precious NDP done on paying down our Debt!!
It was a tough pill that Alberta took years ago but look at them now!
Posted October 30, 2007 12:34 AM
The trickle east has been huge. RTM houses are built in Saskatoon and shipped to Ft. MacMoney. Dozens of machine shops and fabrication and welding shops supply Alberta's oil industry.
Without the exodus of young people to Alberta the unemployment rate in Saskatchewan would be much much higher than it is. The shortage of workers in Alberta has created a shortage here which has driven wages up.
Saskatchewan is enjoying the fruits of the commodities boom in spite of the NDP, not because of it. The NDP has fought the development of the uranium mines and has an ideological slant against oil. The oil boom wouldn't have benefited us if Devine hadn't kick started the oil industry in the province. I'm no fan of Devine, but we are reaping the benefits of that.
Until very recently the ndp had the Regina Manifesto on their website, which is the document calling for the elimination of capitalism and a plan for economic communism.
If Tommy Douglas and the NDP created a workers paradise in Saskatchewan, why did so many people leave to work elsewhere?
That's an odd thing for a province that recently pumped 20% of Canada's oil, has the worlds largest potash reserves and the world's second largest uranium reserves.
Posted October 27, 2007 01:15 AM
a fantastic line of thought! Thrive on change, what a concept. And ironically, I don't think I have heard one of the parties even remotely suggest this. And THAT, I think is where the problem lies this election.
Every party is tossing out the perverbial "gifts" to the people, and none are presenting the "full plate" offering up a proposal on how they will embrace this current trend as a "have" province and what they will do to keep it that way. There are so many bigger issues they should be addressing, such as developping that perverbial rainy day fund and maintaining it, paying off debt, fixing the infastructures that have fallen into bad disrepair, addressing the health care crisis on a long term basis. Instead they focus on tuition freezes, income levels for graduates, etc etc. If we are truly a "have" province, then those issues will address themselves. The young will want to stay here and prosper, you don't need to dangle a carrot in front of them to keep them here. Deal with the real issues for a change.
Posted October 23, 2007 01:33 PM
Yes, I agree that the trickle from alberta, has some affect but not alot. I think that if people what change, let them. Its their choice. My chocie would go towards the party that does something for education.
Posted October 19, 2007 12:11 PM
The trickle from alberta may have had some effect in the change you have seen in Saskatchewan, but Alberta conservatives have no business taking credit for Saskatchewan's "have" status. The Alberta conservatives also have no business taking credit for $80/bbl oil prices which have fueled the economic boom in both provinces. Alberta has succeeded economically dispite shabby government because oil and gas is easily found in economic quantities on the Alberta side of the boarder. Saskatchewan has oil and gas too, however the oil companies are going to go after the low hanging fruit in Alberta so to speak. Alberta is also successful because half of the population is from Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan people are responsible for the success of not only their province, but also the province to the east (not to take anything away from native Albertans). Saskatchewan will continue to be successful as long as the government in power creates an environment that fosters sustainable growth, similar to the environment that currently exists in the province. This environment was made possible by a fiscally responsible NDP government during the Romanow years and a Calvert government that created an environment that attracted industry investment in the province. Fourth tier oil and gas royalties that put Saskatchewan on a more level playing field with its neighbour to the east is an example of this environment that positioned Saskatchewan to take advantage of industry investment in the province. Saskatchewan now is seeing the results of this in the form of increased population and reduced unemployment. Change sometimes happens without changing governments.
Posted October 15, 2007 09:06 PM
I disagree with you on the trickle from alberta.
We did it on our own. u308,potash,coal oil,gas,farming,(largest exporters of lentils,peas,mustart seed in the world),besides wheat,canola,oat processing plants(some of the largest in N.A),diamonds,Alberta had nothing to do with it.your right you where gone and really no clue to what happened. when Grant Devine got booted out he lift us bankrupt PEROID today i see happy people driving new(er) suv's ,3/4 tonne $60,000 trucks,live in $125,000 to 500,000 houses AND THEY WANT A CHANGE ,GOOD GRIEF.
Posted October 13, 2007 11:40 PM