To state the obvious, Saskatchewan's provincial election result was not good for progressives. I was especially surprised by the NDP's loss of constituencies like Regina Douglas Park (where I grew up), Moose Jaw Wakamow and Prince Albert Northcote.

It could have been worse. Political commentators were musing about the NDP falling below 30 per cent of the popular vote and to fewer than half a dozen MLAs. In fact, it garnered 32 per cent and elected nine.

Regarding the NDP platform's reliance on additional potash revenue, columnist Murray Mandryk asks, "What if potash tanks as it did in 2009?"

Of course, budgets are necessarily based on assumptions about future commodity prices. Saskatchewan Finance estimates that each dollar of change in the price of oil alters provincial revenues by $20 million (page 35). So, if a barrel of oil is $10 cheaper than projected, the future surpluses needed to fund the Sask Party platform would evaporate.

Saskatchewan's two major parties have unveiled their election platforms.

The NDP's fiscal plan is to collect higher potash royalties and reinvest the proceeds in public priorities like health care, education and housing. Columnist Murray Mandryk notes the spectre of Erin Weir.

The NDP has expressed a willingness to discuss sharing resource revenues with First Nations. The Sask Party criticizes the NDP for not costing this possibility.

A common refrain among political pundits has been that all of Ontario's election platforms are unrealistic given a deteriorating economic outlook. Rather than bemoaning this alleged lack of realism, we should evaluate how each party's platform would fare in a downturn.

The NDP platform is built on the fiscal framework set out in the 2011 provincial budget. The Liberal and Conservative platforms are based on slightly more optimistic private-sector forecasts. However, such forecasts have been revised down since the platforms were formulated.

Are you wondering who's winning the Manitoba election?

That makes two of us.

Despite living in Winnipeg, working in the local media and even canvassing door-to-door for NDP candidates, I can't call next Tuesday's vote.

Manitoba NDP leader Greg Selinger has run a good, gaffe-free campaign emphasizing the government's key accomplishments -- low unemployment, strong public services and a decent economy. Selinger turned in a solid performance at the televised leaders' debate and even master-minded Harper-style attack ads, accusing the opposition Conservatives of a hidden agenda to privatize public utilities.

The Ontario NDP presented its comprehensive platform costing yesterday, including all policies announced during the election campaign.

A popular theme among commentators has been that platform costings are unrealistic given the deteriorating economic outlook. As Andrea Horwath noted, her platform includes significant contingency funds.

Pollsters tell us that Ontario's New Democrats may double their seat total in next month's provincial election. It's also entirely conceivable that they could be part of a coalition government at Queen's Park. But what's actually in the party's election platform?

One central feature of the NDP's proposals is to implement a tax credit for companies that hire new workers. The tax credits would be valued at 20 per cent of wages to a maximum of $5,000 per worker. This only applies to the creation of full-time, permanent jobs.

This Ontario NDP fact check should warm the hearts of economists, accountants and math teachers everywhere:

Are Liberals Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

The Ontario Liberals put out a release with this erroneous secondary headline: "NDP K-12 plan amounts to just 0.0009% of total education budget."