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>I love you too PEte, from the U of S days. > >>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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