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Jun 25, 2023

Sask. byelections preview: Lumsden

There will be an interesting three way race as three candidates belonging to parties with seats in the Legislature face off in the Lumsden-Morse byelection Drought conditions and tough farming

There will be an interesting three way race as three candidates belonging to parties with seats in the Legislature face off in the Lumsden-Morse byelection

Drought conditions and tough farming outlooks are somehow back seat to matters of education and a recent high school controversy in the constituency of Lumsden-Morse.

The Saskatchewan Party has seen support around 70 per cent in terms of vote share since the riding became theirs in 2016, held by Lyle Stewart who stepped away from politics this year, triggering a byelection.

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It is the only constituency where the Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) has fielded a candidate. Coupled with a Buffalo Party candidate also running, it makes the dynamics of this riding particularly interesting for Tom McIntosh, University of Regina politics and international studies professor.

“The Lumsden-Morse scene is interesting because the Sask. Party likely will win that seat but the thing that interests me in that one is how well the Saskatchewan United Party do,” said McIntosh.

“If they finish second, if they take 15 or 20 per cent of the vote, that’s going to scare the Sask. Party.”

McIntosh said that while he firmly believes the Sask. Party will hold onto the seat, the presence of SUP and Buffalo Party candidates could spell a benefit for the NDP.

“If the Sask. Party has to face winning rural seats, potentially with just a plurality of the vote as opposed to a majority, that could change the dynamics considerably,” he said.

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Kaitlyn Stadnyk, NDP, is looking to win a seat in her first foray into politics. The University of Regina graduate comes from a background in political science, a degree in Human Justice and time working with the party.

“Personally, I think it’s time for change. I was an intern under Meara Conway, just this last session,” said Stadnyk. “When a rural riding came up, I’m a farm girl at heart, I said, put my name forward in the riding! I want to do this.”

For Blaine McLeod, Sask. Party, his career has been marked by and affected by politics. In addition to working 42 years as a dairy farmer, he is the Saskatchewan director with the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

“I’ve had a strong interest in politics and engaged within a lot of different leadership roles through my career as a dairy farmer,” McLeod said.

Door-knocking take-aways for both candidates have seen common ground around education, health care and affordability.

Stadnyk said people have told her their priorities are “better access to health care, better education and opportunities for our youth and overall a better quality of life.”

McLeod said while he is aligned with the Sask. Party, there have been some people frustrated with the governing party.

“I’ve seen a good dissatisfaction with the direction that the Sask. Party has taken. I see concerns in education and some of the challenges that have come with ‘do we have enough resources for the teachers?’ ” he said.

Otherwise, farmers in the area have sent a clear message: make sure the infrastructure is good and leave us alone.

“Make it attractive for business and for farming and as they said this morning, get out of the way — we will look after it,” he said.

One of the animating matters within the constituency is a recent controversy regarding a Planned Parenthood visit to Lumsden High School.

Stadnyk said there should be some consideration paid to the need for sex education in a province like Saskatchewan.

“I believe that we do need to arm our students with as much information as possible. We have the highest rates of STDs and STIs teen pregnancies,” she said. “But it shouldn’t have happened. The situation that transpired with Planned Parenthood shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

McLeod had harsher words, saying he was in lockstep with Premier Scott Moe during the fallout.

“I don’t know even why something like that is in print. It is just absolutely obscene filth,” said McLeod. He added that he is in favour of a review being conducted by the Ministry of Education into the incident.

For Saskatchewan United Party candidate Jon Hromek, the Planned Parenthood ordeal was what motivated him to run.

“I could no longer, in good conscience, continue to watch from the sidelines as our government fails to listen to the people. The Planned Parenthood presentation incident at Lumsden high school was the last straw for me,” he said.

Isaiah Hunter with the Saskatchewan Green Party and Les Guillemin with the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan will also take part in the byelection.

Voting week will kick off on Thursday and will run Aug. 3 to 10. Polls will be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 10.

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