Toxic gas nearly killed this oil worker. His employer never told the province
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/12/21/toxic-gas-nearly-killed-t...
Saskatchewan election Nov 2 2020
Thu, 2018-02-08 23:02
#1
Saskatchewan election Nov 2 2020
Sat, 2018-03-03 23:40
#2
Sat, 2018-05-05 21:32
#3
Sun, 2018-05-06 05:23
#4
progressive17
I don't know how well a guy named Navdeep Anwar is going to do in a place like Saskatchewan. They tend to be rural Conservatives, who might switch to the NDP, not the evidently cosmopolitan (and hence elitist) Liberals.
Sun, 2018-05-06 08:33
#5
Misfit
It will be here two party race between the SP and the NDP. A strong liberal showing will be good for the NDP but I don't see it happening
Sat, 2019-03-23 15:54
#6
It's sad to see some of the people on the pro-pipeline and fossil fuel side.
Funny thing about the Global Strike For Climate happening in Regina is that it will effectively be a counter-protest.
Over the past few months, the Saskatchewan legislative grounds have been the site of protests organized by people with a decidedly different outlook on climate change: yellow-vest protesters and other pro-pipeline activists who are opposed to the very notion that we need to address fossil-fuel extraction if we’re to halt global warming.
While Canadian media have tended to paint these anti-carbon tax protests as “pro-pipeline rallies,” the messaging from organizers has strayed pretty far from the economics of the oil patch.
Social media posts by prominent yellow-vesters and signs at yellow-vest gatherings regularly call for the executions of Justin Trudeau and Alberta premier Rachel Notley for the crime of treason. And the entire movement has become tangled up with anti-immigrant sentiments and racist conspiracy theories. It’s not uncommon to see slogans about supporting pipelines alongside those stating we need to protect our borders from an influx of dangerous illegal immigrants.
White supremacist and neo-Nazi groups like the Soldiers of Odin and the Northern Guard have mingle quite comfortably at yellow-vest and other pro-pipeline gatherings.
Okay, sure — one such gathering of anti-carbon tax protesters on Jan. 8 on the Legislature steps officially requested no yellow vesters or anti-immigrant activists attend. And Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe found time in his day to address this crowd.
He was just there, he said, to show his support for workers worried about the potential collapse of Canada’s resource sector.
Let’s see if he can spare a few minutes on March 15 to show his support for students worried about the collapse of civilization.
https://www.prairiedogmag.com/2019-03-14/climate-strike/
Sat, 2019-03-23 16:22
#7
If these yellow vesters don't want refugees to come into Canada, you think they would be all over taking meaningful action on climate change. What do they think people are going to do as North Africa and the Middle East dry up?
Sat, 2019-03-23 18:26
#8
If these yellow vesters don't want refugees to come into Canada, you think they would be all over taking meaningful action on climate change. What do they think people are going to do as North Africa and the Middle East dry up?
They don't care if they live or die-as long as they're not here
Fri, 2019-05-03 22:10
#9
Activists say Saskatchewan carbon tax ruling is ‘great news for climate action’
https://globalnews.ca/news/5238893/carbon-tax-ruling-climate-saskatchewan/
Sat, 2019-05-04 11:51
#10
This is a huge defeat for Moe. Let’s follow up by crushing him in the next election
Sun, 2020-07-26 12:40
#11
Can somebody please explain why this is happening?
As door-to-door canvassing is allowed to begin, the governing Saskatchewan Party is showing a healthy advantage over the NDP in both fundraising and polling ahead of the October 26 provincial election.
On Tuesday, the provincial government announced that door-to-door soliciting will now be allowed, which means you may soon see political parties and candidates on your doorstep.
The Saskatchewan Party showed a healthy fundraising lead of roughly $2 million over the NDP in 2019.
...
The most recent public poll by EKOS Research, released earlier this month, had the Sask. Party leading the NDP by 25 points - 57 per cent to 32 per cent among decided voters.
The poll was conducted in June and July and surveyed 1,240 people. The margin of error associated with the total sample is +/- 2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
This is very unusual for a government having been around this long to be polling this well against the opposition. People get tired of the same party in power, and even in a couple of polls the NDP led the Saskatchewan Party in this government's life. What's going on here?
Sun, 2020-07-26 13:18
#12
Misfit
They have the money. They have the press in their back pocket. They are running the province more to the left of what many people would expect so they are doing their destruction at a slower more piecemeal pace that avoids a lot of attention and bad publicity.
The majority of the seats are in the rural areas which are solidly Conservstive. The focus of the NDP will be to fight for seats in the urban centres where they have their base to work from.
The Saskatchewan Party has more than doubled our total provincial debt and they have managed to do so by cutting back on social programs. If this was the NDP in power there would've been a howl years ago, but all you hear are crickets.
The old guard of the NDP who survived the 1930s and built up and sustained the social movement are gone now. Times are not that bad for many and the majority of people don't pay attention or easily forget.
The SP government has a big agricultural irrigation infrastructure development project underway that it can use to market that they are there to create new jobs and invest in the future of the province.
There are no restrictions or limits in Saskatchewan on politicsl donations. This benefits the Saskatchewan Party.
Ryan Meili is a good leader but he's not getting the media focus which is disturbing. I am hoping that they at least retain their seats and don't get blown off the map entirely which is quite possible.
Sat, 2020-08-01 16:45
#13
Remember that the Saskatchewan Party favours law and order:
Six candidates running for the Saskatchewan Party have previous convictions for drunk driving. That's almost 10 per cent of the 61 candidates running for the party in the fall election.
The party's office made the disclosure on Friday afternoon, shortly before the start of the long weekend.
Four of the candidates are current MLAs for the Saskatchewan Party, including Premier Scott Moe. Those convictions had been publicly revealed before the last election.
Today, the party disclosed that two new candidates — Terry Jenson, running in Martensville-Warman, and Manny Sadhra, running in Saskatoon Fairview — also have been convicted of impaired driving.
Some of the convictions are from decades ago while others are quite recent. In two cases, the politicians have been convicted twice.
Sat, 2020-08-01 18:56
#14
Misfit
Premier Scott Moe had his impaired driving conviction in 1992 according to the article.
Tue, 2020-08-11 14:53
#15
The mask has finally come off:
Premier Scott Moe came under fire this week after a photo-op where he was without a mask while in close contact with people outside of his bubble.
In a photo posted to Facebook Sunday, Moe and his wife stood with three women who run Lil Bean Ice Cream in Rosthern, Sask., where the couple stopped while on a trip to Saskatoon.
"While we were outside and together only briefly to take the picture, I recognize that we should have stood further apart in order to practise proper physical distancing," Moe said in a written statement.
"I regret that my error in judgment has caused difficulty for a small business started by two young entrepreneurs."
No, you regret that this picture became public knowledge and has harmed your personal reputation, and by extension, your chances of being re-elected.
Thu, 2020-08-13 14:12
#16
Misfit
Saskatchewan government has worst plan in place nationally for integrating kids back into school. No new money invested in making schools safe for children.
Thu, 2020-08-13 18:16
#17
Misfit
Adam Hunter, an intergovernmental affairs reporter with CBC Saskatchewan commented on Twitter:
“Remember back in March when the province wouldn’t let the City of Regina impose stricter rules because it said people needed clarity.
Now we have the government okay with 27 school divisions making their own separate school return plans.”
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5506570
This was back in March when the city of Regina wanted to impose safety restrictions on businesses and public facilities in the city.
"The city wanted to close all non-essential retail stores — everything but grocery stores, pharmacies and medical clinics — due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The province previously said this was not a needed step at this time.
The city also wanted to limit gatherings to no more than five people, while the province's limit is 25.
The Government of Saskatchewan confirmed on Monday that it had rescinded the City of Regina's declaration. It previously said this was because clarity is needed for residents and because the province is basing its recommendations on the advice of medical health officials.
Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, recommended no gatherings of more than 25 people, but said personally that he would not enter a room with more than five people. "
This is very hypocritical of the Saskatchewan government. Both instances involve the government scaling down important and vital safety guidelines. In March, they rescinded the guidelnes that the city felt were safe in order to protect public safety. Their argument was a need for clarity. Today they are ditching clarity in order to put the safety of teachers, children, and therefore entire families at risk with a conspicuous abscence of clarity or any governmentsl standardization or responsibility.
Thu, 2020-08-13 16:51
#18
Misfit
Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons strongly urge the Saskatchewan Government to be more cautious with opening the schools
https://twitter.com/miltonsk/status/1293253565981417472?s=21
Thu, 2020-08-13 16:55
#19
Misfit
Saskatchewan government has failed to invest in the provinces schools during the pandemic.
https://twitter.com/ryanmeili/status/1293958244159721473?s=21
Thu, 2020-08-13 17:22
#20
Misfit
https://twitter.com/ryanmeili/status/1293943663849025536?s=21
"Delay, deflect, point fingers. The Sask Party is hiding. They’re putting school boards in the tough position of safely reopening with little guidance & no extra funding. It’s time for a government that’s prepared to lead during this difficult time."
One concern of not having mandatory masks for all school children throughout the province is that it sets up some children, who do need to wear masks for health reasons, for bullying. We see in the United States adult men harassing and assaulting other men in stores for wearing face masks calling them sissies and worse. We have the same issues here in Canada with adults fighting the concept of wearing face masks in public. School children learn these attitudes from their parents and then act out at school.
Bullying issues aside. Children need to fit in and feel like they belong. It is humiliating for children to be teased and ostracized by others for looking different. Children who do have health problems will feel pressured to take their masks off in order to try to fit in. Many will prefer to put their own health at risk rather than get punched out and body slammed into lockers or laughed at by the cliquey crowds.
You need standardization and rules for all children across the province. You need the government to spend the money to ensure that all children have safe and reliable access to face masks as only one of many conditions for returning to school.
Thu, 2020-08-13 21:18
#21
Misfit
Saskatchewan Minister of Health has been missing from public press conferences since July 13th.
https://twitter.com/ryanmeili/status/1293919583254937600?s=21
Thu, 2020-08-13 21:38
#22
Misfit
Saskatchewan government budgeted cutbacks to school cleaning staff for the upcoming school year. According to the article this was budgeted in May during the pandemic which they knew would affect hygiene and staff and student safety in the fall. Many janitorial jobs have been cut down from full time to part time work. Yet the Saskatchewan Party government maintains that this will have no effect on government standards.
https://twitter.com/sask_ndp/status/1293314705667235840?s=21
Thu, 2020-08-13 22:02
#23
Misfit
Many rural Saskatchewan students rely on school busses in order to get to school. There can be upwards of 15-20 kids on each bus. My question is, how do these children social distance themselves on a school bus.
We already see that the Saskatchewan Party government has budgeted cutbacks and reduced full time jobs during a pandemic. They obviously have no plan in place to get farm children bussed in to school safely. People are supposed to socially distance a minimum of six feet. Yet there are no plans for reducing the crowding of children on school busses.
The Saskatchewan Party had billions of dollars for an elaborate Regina bipass initiative which hired out of province contractors to do the work. It also involved arguably questionable land acquisition initiatives. They have all kinds of money for a massive irrigation project. They have thrown our province massively into debt yet have slashed away at full-time stable jobs for government employees.
They need to account for why there is no plan and no money on the table to safely transport our rural children to school. They knew about this when they set their budget in the spring.
People deserve answers.
Fri, 2020-08-14 20:12
#24
laine lowe
Although not the story I was looking for, I am thoroughly impressed by Pasqua First Nation and their efforts to keep their community safe:
https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/pasqua-first-nation-working-to-...
During the CBC Radio 6 pm news, they had a story about what they are doing for school. They are delaying start time till October to get everything set up. That includes reducing class sizes to a maximum of 15, disposable masks for the school bus ride, colour coded cloth masks for in-school use, plexi glass shield around each desk (adorably called "sugar cubes" to make it less frightening and cage like), and hand washing stations. They are lucky because they own a metal work business that is manufacturing the plexiglass cages and hand washing stations.
Sun, 2020-08-16 03:38
#25
Misfit
In a bold move the Saskatchewan government announced that it will push back the opening of the public schools to September 8. It also announced that it intends to invest $40 million into the school system to work to keep our children and schools safe during the pandemic.
One angry rural mother number crunched and divided the proposed 40 million by the number of schools in the province and determined that each school will get the equivalent of one extra teacher per entire school to reduce class sizes.
https://twitter.com/_mama_lam_/status/1294739763925118976?s=21
Public pressure and anger are forcing the government at the last minute to make a hasty decision that clearly shows a lack of vision and definable leadership for the province.
Sun, 2020-08-16 08:11
#26
Misfit
In 2016, Brad Wall announced the privatization of some of our province's liquor stores. He announced that 40 new stores will be built in the province but not with government money. Private industry would fill the void. All liquor stores in the province up until that time were solely owned by the government.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3375816
Moose Jaw received one of those very first private stores four years ago. Sobey's built a large liquor store on the north end of town to compete with the government run liquor store downtown. Many residents argued that the private store was unnecessary since the Saskatchewan Liquor Store was modern and large enough to handle the demand for the entire city. Moose Jaw used to have two small stores in the city. They were sold and amalgamsted into one giant store in the old CPR station downtown.
Four years later, privatized liquor store expansion continues. The Moose Jaw Coop grocery store is retrofitting its grocery store to sell liquor.
Moose Jaw city council has now voted to allow convenience stores to sell liquor.
The purpose of the massive expansion of liquor stores is to drive sales away from the store downtown. The profits from the Saskatchewan Liquor Store go back to the government to help pay for government programs. They also help to keep our taxes lower.
The small town I grew up in had a liquor store. The store was modern, large, and in good shape. The government decided to shut it down anyway even though they assured the province that only unviable stores would close. The Coop hardware store took over the liquor sales for the community. Their building is older than the one that the government shut down.
The Coop hardware store now sells fewer hardware items in order to accommodate the liquor. They eliminated their entire major appliance section and the repair manager now pumps gas. People have to phone the city for service technicians if they need help with their appliances. They have to pay forb the mileage and commuting time as well.
There was no need to shut down the liquor store. My town happens to be strongly conservative that was safe to target as a part of their privatization agenda without facing a major loss of voter support in retaliation for their decision.
Children were not allowed inside the Saskatchewan Liquor Store, but they can go into the locsl hardware store. Likewise, Children in Moose Jaw go into convenience stores to buy slurpees and candy. They don't need to be exposed to the sight of liquor being sold. They are also going to see liquor on the shelves in grocery stores as well. I question whether this is a wise decision to expose children to these products.
Maybe I am old fashioned and square. There was nothing wrong with having the crown corporation be the sole supplier of hard liquor and to have them in stores with age restrictions in place.
Saskatchewan has the highest rate of impaired drivers in Canada
Saskatchewan had the highest incidence of domestic violence in Canada per capita in 2018
Saskatchewan has the highest youth suicide rate in the county.
"That’s 19.3 deaths by suicide per 100,000 people, nearly double the 2018 national per capita average of 10.3."
One would think that the government would try to reduce the amount of alcohol sold in the province in order to curb the number of suicides and the rate of violence against women and children both of which may correlate with alcohol consumption. It would definitely work to alleviate the impaired driving numbers and fatalities from drinking and driving.
Instead, it is trying to make alcohol even more accessible. It is also advertising to children that the purchase of alcohol is as normal and natural as that of fruits and vegetables. One cannot make the argument that it is doing so to drive up government revenues because the purpose of these expansions is to sabotage its own crown market share and drive down its own revenues.
Sun, 2020-08-16 20:42
#27
laine lowe
I agree Misfit, I don't get the reason for trying to ruin the crown corporation running liquour outlets. I have no problem with opening up the market to allow for boutique wine sellers or even the wierd Manitoban off-sale beer operations but both in Ontario (LCBO), Quebec (SDA) and Manitoba (MLCC), these crown owned and operated outlets have the best service and selection.
Tue, 2020-08-18 17:53
#28
Misfit
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is still in hot water over lack of action in school reopening.
The Saskatchewan NDP has criticized the Saskatchewan government over this $40 million dollars. Ryan Meili has said that the $40 million dollars does not even bring the province back to 2015 education spending levels that the Saskatchewan Party has cut from education funding annually. Also, according to the Star Phoenix article it is not new funding but is money that the government allocated from a $200 million contingency fund.
Scott Moe is also drawing fire from his remarks about concerned medical professionals as being "duelling doctors".
From the Star Phoenix article:
"The Saskatchewan Medical Association, pediatricians, parents and teachers have all said Saskatchewan’s plan does too little to prevent a possible COVID-19 outbreak.
Opposition Leader Ryan Meili argued Moe should take responsibility for the anxiety some parents are feeling.
“We just saw the government pass the buck yet again down to school divisions,” Meili said.
Moe shrugged aside that criticism, saying the province has followed the advice of its chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab.
“I’m not going to comment on any duelling doctor opinions that may be in this province or across the nation,” he said.
Shahab said outbreaks in schools would be easier to track than outbreaks in businesses. If a child falls ill, there are protocols to isolate, test and trace back to classmates who might have had close contact.
“A school is not where you have random mixing of 200, 300 people,” Shahab said.
Dr. Dennis Kendel, a health policy consultant, agreed politicizing health care isn’t helpful but said he is concerned by aspects of the plan, like the variability among school divisions. That criticism is not inherently political, he said.
“This is not partisan warfare. (Teachers) are quite genuinely concerned about the specificity of the provincial plan.”"
An NDP candidate from Regina tweeted this today:
https://twitter.com/sinclairic/status/1295730441354280960?s=21
"Rule for parenting kids: Don’t give kids grown-up sized problems. Premier Scott Moe: “6,8,10,12,14 year olds must take personal responsibility for keeping their desks clean.”
Tell you what. My kids will take personal responsibility as soon as you do, Mr. Premier.Premier."
The Saskatchewan government has cut back the hours for custodial staff at schools switching them from full-time positions to part-time.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/beta.ctvnews.ca/local/regina/2020/8/17/1_5068218.html
"Parents, staff rally after custodial services cut to Moose Jaw schools"
Tue, 2020-08-18 22:07
#29
Misfit
https://twitter.com/sask_ndp/status/1295826613515374592?s=21
Saskatchewan NDP ad.
Wed, 2020-08-19 02:54
#30
What is the benchmark for NDP success in this election? Is the re-election of the Saskatchewan Party government a foregone conclusion at this point? Should the NDP aim for government, or to strengthen its position in Saskatoon and Regina, win back some of the small city vote it has been losing for over a decade, and then be on stronger footing for the election after?
Wed, 2020-08-19 09:15
#31
Misfit
I don't know. The NDP is actively working to force the government to keep children safe with school re-opening. The SP are still very high in the polls. The SP have redistributed the constituencies to make the majority of them rural so that even if the NDP did win all the urban tidings they would never be able to form government. The majority of the population is in the urban tidings. But the NDP are not anywhere near that.
i think that the NDP have about 30% support to the SP 62%. I would like to see them not get decimated.
Wed, 2020-09-02 19:56
#32
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said his decision to remove former cabinet minister Sandra Morin as the party candidate in Regina Walsh Acres will not change.
Meili said the party will hold a new nomination process, but the constituency association has refused to this point.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/ndp-candidate-regina-election-1.5709766
Wed, 2020-09-02 20:45
#33
Misfit
Oh yay! How the Saskatchewan NDP can screw up so badly is beyond me.
My guess is:
1. BDS.
2. Coop refinery strike comments perhaps criticizing the Saskatchewan NDP for not showing enough support.
They are still just nominating their candidates now. It seems like they are just as disorganized as the federal NDP.
WTF?!?
Thu, 2020-09-03 01:08
#34
This candidate did lose that seat to the Saskatchewan Party, so I have to wonder about the wisdom of the party running her again. Why not instead use this as a chance to renew and find someone who would bring energy into the party?
Thu, 2020-09-03 02:16
#35
Misfit
She has been out door knocking and canvassing for a year and a half to win the seat back. I can empathize with her frustration to invest all that time and work into her re-election strategy just to have to step down.
I read both CBC and CTV articles. Apparently she was vetted 1 1/2 years ago when she won the nomination.
I'm getting really tired of this bullshit with the NDP. This is the same region of Regina that Erin Weir represented. All this bleepity-bleep fighting ends up hurting the bleepity-bleep NDP and they end up losing these bleepity-bleep constituencies because of the bad publicity and constant in-fighting.
The Coop refinery union and the NDP riding executive stand behind her.
Another candidate from the union threw her name into race to run as the NDP candidate because she was told that the current NDP candidate had voluntarily stepped down. When she found out that it wasn't true she pulled her name from the race and supports the current candidate.
I am also wondering how many of these executives were also involved with the Erin Weir team and are fed up with the party establishment both federally and provincially for derailing their candidate selections? I think that they are going to try to stage a sort of mutiny here.
Stay tuned. It is bound to get much more interesting and bleepity-bleep worse. Trust me. This is west end Regina.
Thu, 2020-09-03 02:29
#36
Misfit
The Regina Leader Post article on this.
"Morin clarified on Wednesday that she hadn’t been provided with an explanation in writing until that afternoon, though she received a phone call on Aug. 21 from an NDP staffer who gave her some verbal reasons. She wouldn’t tell the Leader-Post what they were, citing a confidentiality provision.
“They’re completely unjustified,” she said. “It ends up holding me to a higher bar than any other constituency campaign.”
Morin won a nomination race in May 2019. She said she was thoroughly vetted around that time. “Since then there is absolutely no new information that has come to light, whatsoever, I can state that unequivocally.”
She said the reasons provided to her are both incorrect and insufficient grounds to quash her candidacy.
“There is an embellishment and there is a perception implied that is absolutely false,” said Morin."
I gather from this that there are two reasons for the decision. I also gather that this information was known at the time she was vetted a year and a half ago. She doesn't agree with their version of the story, and she doesn't feel that they are sufficient grounds for dismissal.
Thu, 2020-09-03 18:09
#37
It would be a lot easier to discuss the situation with this candidate if we knew what this supposed "information" was.
Fri, 2020-09-04 15:04
#38
Misfit
Sandra Morin just posted on her Facebook page that she intends to continue to represent the constituency as the NDP candidate.
The Leader Post just posted an article about this issue. In the article, polls show the NDP sitting at 28% support and the SP at 60%.
The Leader Post article mentioned that Sandra Motrin can disclose the reasons for this but she won't and it is the NDP headquarters who are keeping quiet on this as a formal consideration to the NDP ousted candidate.
The article mentions that she is going through an appeals process which isn't working out well for her at this time.
Wed, 2020-09-16 17:10
#39
Premier asks Trudeau to support nuclear reactors in upcoming throne speech
Premier Scott Moe has sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlining Saskatchewan’s priorities ahead of the federal throne speech on Sept. 23. In it, he is asking Trudeau to support nuclear development in the province.
Moe wants the development of small modular nuclear reactors, also known as SMRs, in Saskatchewan to be part of Trudeau’s green agenda.
“While all Canadians would support a commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, there is significant concern that your “ambitious green agenda” is code for shutting down our energy industry, a major driver of Canada’s economy,” Moe said in his letter to Trudeau.
Moe wrote there is more that can be done to address climate change in partnership with provincial governments through nuclear research.
The Liberal government may drop the "ambitious green agenda" from the throne speech for a smaller green plan, according to a Global News report.....
Thu, 2020-09-24 22:23
#40
Meili wants to cap individual contributions, ban union and corporate cash to parties:
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili vowed Wednesday that if elected, his party will eliminate corporate and union donations, and cap individual donations.
Meili said provincial party fundraising rules are outdated and not in line with the rest of Canada.
He said the NDP would also only allow Saskatchewan people to make donations, saying it would "level the playing field, making sure that it's the people of Saskatchewan that are making the decision about who's governing them, not out-of-province and large companies that are influencing the outcomes of our elections."
Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia do not allow corporate or union donations. In 2017, B.C. passed a similar law and capped individual donations at $1,225.
"When you look at the reams of out-of-province corporations lining Sask. Party coffers, you start to understand why they oppose these changes," Meili said.
In 2019, the Saskatchewan Party showed a healthy fundraising lead of roughly $2 million over the NDP.
Sat, 2020-09-26 16:28
#41
Misfit
The history of Saskatchewan debt for the last forty years.
Article mentions that Premier Scott Moe declared personal bankruptcy in 2000.
He has a drunk driving criminal record:
In a separate incident, he was responsible for a vehicle accident which killed a person whom he collided with and was charged with driving without undue care and attention. He has no recollection of the incident.
Now he has spiralled our province's debt to record high levels.
Yet the mainstream newspapers give him a free pass and he is high in the polls by fiscally conservstive citizens who do not like fiscal irresponsibility.
Sun, 2020-09-27 18:50
#42
Misfit
Sandra Morin who was removed as the NDP candidate for Regina Walsh Acres and replaced with a new NDP candidate has announced that she is running as an independent.
Before this high profile incident, Regina Walsh Acres was seen as a solid pick-up for the NDP. They lost the riding by about 500 votes in the last election. Sandra Morin's announcement to run as an independent is a sure way to split the vote and allow the Saskatchewan Party to win the seat.
It also keeps the fighting an election issue which will dog the NDP during the entire election campaign.
Sun, 2020-09-27 19:18
#43
Misfit
Oh, and there are 61 ridings in Saskatchewan. The NDP is running candidates in only, I counted, 45 ridings. I've never ever seen anything like this before.
Saskatchewan has fixed election dates. Saskatchewan was supposed to have their election one year ago or last fall. It was postponed into the spring because of the 2019 national election. Then it was postponed again until this fall because of the pandemic hitting the globe this spring.
So why are they picking their candidates so close to the election being called? The constituents don't have a chance to allow themselves to really get to know who their candidate is when the party leaves everything to the very last minute.
edit to add...
I just checked and now they are up to 55 of 61 ridings showing an NDP candidate.
Oh geez!
Edit to add again!
According to this article:
1. The NDP DOES NOW FINALLY HAVE A FULL SLATE OF CANDIDATES!!!
2. Six of them have impaired driving convictions.
3. Yet Sandra Morin was kicked off the team.
Mon, 2020-09-28 04:00
#44
According to this article:
1. The NDP DOES NOW FINALLY HAVE A FULL SLATE OF CANDIDATES!!!
2. Six of them have impaired driving convictions.
3. Yet Sandra Morin was kicked off the team.
What the hell? Is it that common there, some sort of rite of passage?
Mon, 2020-09-28 12:30
#45
Yeah, with everything the NDP has going against it, why would they surrender the ability to claim the moral high ground by having people convicted of drunk driving? Criminal records checks are very easy to insist on, so it's quite possible to block someone who lies about not having a criminal record.
And Morin might not have been my first choice as a candidate in the riding, but the way that was handled was atrotious. Life-long party supporters who stay with the party even in bad times actually quit political parties over things like that.
Mon, 2020-09-28 16:10
#46
If this election goes as it's looking like it will go, the SNDP may as well disband once its over. If they're held to a third of the votes or less and single digits again in the seat count, and if they manage to somehow lose more seats, they may as well disband and let somebody else try to build a left there-or they may end up turning into the center-left equivalent of BC or Alberta Social Credit.
They were ahead two years ago, they were taking Sask Party seats in by-elections, and somehow they appear to have totally pissed their chance away.
At this point, you have to ask- if the election goes as it now appears it will go, barring some flukishly dramatic reversal of fortune, will the any reason for the SNDP to continue to exist in its current form?
Mon, 2020-09-28 16:51
#47
The poll found 34.3 per cent of respondents had not settled on a party, followed by 28.8 per cent for the governing Sask. Party, 13.7 per cent for the NDP and 6.7 per cent for the Progressive Conservatives (PCs)....
Berdahl said a closer look at the poll results shows the pandemic will drive more votes in cities like Regina and Saskatoon than in rural areas.
Older people are more likely to back the Sask. Party, while younger people are more likely to support the NDP. Pandemic issues are also more important to younger people than older people and the pandemic is more of a voting factor for women than men.
...
On the economy, opinions split sharply. A slight plurality, 34.7 per cent, assessed the economy as declining, while 33.5 per cent said it was neither declining nor improving and 27.4 per cent said it was improving.
Mon, 2020-09-28 18:13
#48
On the economy, opinions split sharply. A slight plurality, 34.7 per cent, assessed the economy as declining, while 33.5 per cent said it was neither declining nor improving and 27.4 per cent said it was improving.
Or as an old wit would say, "A recession is when your neighbour loses their job, a depression is when you lose your job."
Mon, 2020-09-28 19:35
#49
Misfit
There are a lot of serious problems with the Saskatchewan Party's running of the province. The Saskatchewan Herald article that I posted up thread mentions some.
"Of course, the debt buildup does not fall entirely at the feet of Premier Moe. The Province’s finances were managed through the greatest boom in Saskatchewan history by former Premier Brad Wall – with deficits run throughout the boom years – and those deficits growing to extreme proportions in 2016, after the return of oil prices to historically normal levels. Mistakes running into the hundreds of millions and billions of dollars are well known – the billion dollar failed carbon capture experiment at Boundary Dam, the GTH boondoggle, the two billion dollar Regina bypass, the four-hundred million dollar Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford, and LEAN Hospitals – were all failures from the Wall years. Premier Moe cannot be held entirely responsible for Premier Wall’s deficit budgeting – although as a Minister in Wall’s governments, Moe shares some degree of responsibility for the debt built up by his predecessor. As his successor, Moe has done nothing to reverse the tide, nor put a plan forward to eliminate the deficit and debt – and Saskatchewan’s fiscal hole grows deeper by the day – especially as the rapidly dying tar-sands oil industry and the coronavirus recession pose a double-threat to the Province’s way of life."
To repeat, these were Brad Wall's what should have been massive political scandals:
1. Boundary Dam billion dollar carbon capture failure.
2. GTH - Globsl Transporation Hub land scam and the hub project itself.
3. The Regina 2 billion dollar bipass.
4. 400 million North Battleford hospital.
5. LEAN Hospitals - Moose Jaw hospital was one.
The article doesn't cover it but you can add the attack and mismanagement of the crown corporations and the massive cutbacks to social programs.
All their attacks on the poor did nothing to curb their deficit spending. Our debt is now at over $30 billion dollars.
Now Scott Moe wants to spend on a massive agricultural irrigation project when our debt is spiraling out of control.
The problem is that the issues and massive scandals have always been there. The media has treated every one of them with little itty bitty baby gloves. If the NDP had done these things there would have been non-stop media fixation and outrage.
I just don't know how effectively Ryan Miele can get the message out. The media have never been kind to the NDP. You have to manipulate the sound bytes.
I hate to say it but if Tom Mulcair was our provincial leader he would be able to take this Saskatchewan file and do a lot of damage to the Saskatchewan Party's current popularity. Ryan Miele is intelligent and articulate but I am not sure if he is media savvy. He doesn't have the fire in his belly of a courtroom lawyer, nor the ability of people like Donald Trump to establish control of how the media is going to cover the election.
Mon, 2020-09-28 19:39
#50
If the Sask NDP ever DOES get back into power, it really needs to avoid putting deficit reduction over all other issues. In many respects, the party has never recovered from Romanow's austerity obsession- he broke faith with the poor by putting the goal of balancing the budgets without taxing the rich before common humanity, and convinced much of the NDP base that electing an NDP government in the province was pointless.
Mon, 2020-09-28 21:42
#51