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>Saskatchewan Election Primer: NDP on the Defensive > >October 21st 1991 saw the ascension of Saskatchewan’s >NDP under the tutelage of Roy Romanow, from the tired >Tory administration of Grant Devine, in what proved to >be one of the province’s most dynamic election >campaigns. For eight years, the PC government had run >the fiscal cupboard bare, and with a well orchestrated >campaign from the get-go led by perhaps the most able >politician in Saskatchewan history, the folksy Devine >and his minions were swept from power. > >Fast forward twelve years. > >Current NDP premier, Lorne Calvert calls a provincial >election for November 5th, 2003. Calvert, no matter >how integral, has led Saskatchewan into a deficit >position, and by all accounts, has badly managed the >provincial crown corporations, providing ample fodder >for the opposition Saskatchewan Party and Liberals. >This election should have the makings of a 1991 >Romanowesque rout. But,not quite…. > >Leadership played a huge role in Romanow’s initial >win. Positioning the telegenic, self-assured, and >suave NDP leader in front of the television cameras >provided the NDP with a star quality that complimented >its slick and savvy media campaign. A player on the >national scene from the 1982 constitutional >negotiations, Romanow’s confidence shattered the shaky >PC campaign, by promising economic integrity and no >ideological shift toward socialism. > >Contrast the NDP winning formula with that of the >current front running Saskatchewan Party, whose leader >Elwin Hermanson has done little to galvanize support >in Saskatoon and Regina. Hermanson, a defeated Reform >Party MP from Preston Manning’s inner circle, is at >best a mediocre debater, and has done little to secure >the much needed support of middle-of-the-road voters >in urban Saskatchewan. As well, while Calvert has >little credibility with voters from a fiscal >management standpoint, he is viewed by a vast majority >of those recently polled as more trustworthy than the >lacklustre Sask. Party leader. Should personality >become an issue in this election, the NDP could soon >find themselves on the offensive. > >However, that scenario is unlikely, given Calvert’s >move to make crown corporation public ownership the >main focus of his campaign, a tact attempted by NDP >premier Alan Blakeney in 1982, which failed miserably. > It should also be noted that the Saskatchewan Party’s >Grow Saskatchewan policy of increasing the population >by 100,000 over ten years by slashing taxes has >bombed. As well, recent statements by Sask. Party >officials that their ability to cut taxes should they >form government be limited, as well as revelations of >a ’Hit List’ of civil servants with NDP affiliations >smacks of amateur hour. Recent reports of Preston >Manning being enlisted to help in the transition to >government in an office largely controlled by tired >Devine hacks and ex Reform Ottawa staffers will do >little to aid Hermanson, either. > >Both parties are also limited in their candidate >stock, as well. The NDP has all but lost its stellar >line up of cabinet ministers, with the exception of >the innovative and intelligent Eric Cline. The Sask. >Party, while certainly boasting some excellent >candidates, have also exercised poor judgement by >allowing the nominations of ex-motorcycle gang member >Jim McCallister, and former aide to Independent >controversial MP Jim Pankiw, Patrick Bundrock. > >The wild card in this year’s vote will be the moribund >Liberals. Having had several leaders since the ouster >of Lynda Haverstock in 1995, the traditional third >party has been largely discredited, despite the >attempts of young leader David Karwacki. However, >should the Sask. Party campaign falter, the >possibility for the Grits to hold on to its few >ridings from the last election could be in the cards. > >Will the NDP be defeated by the Sask. Party? >Conventional wisdom says yes. However, given the poor >state of leadership, candidates, and campaign planning >relating to both parties, expect no landslides.

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