This is why I think it’s a mistake for rural voters to assume the only party that can represent them is the Sask Party.
University of Saskatchewan political scientist John Courtney:
Courtney [...] said the outcome of the rural vote is a foregone conclusion.“The Sask. Party has a stranglehold on rural Saskatchewan. The NDP recognizes that, so there’s really no incentive for the Sask. Party to try to develop that base further,” he said. “Lost in the shuffle has been the voice of agriculture and of rural Saskatchewan.”
If the voters want an opposition to Wall’s coming government, they are going to find no sympathy in the NDP. And they are going to have no NDP to represent them anyway. By not electing Sask Liberals, rural voters are dooming themselves to whatever choices Brad Wall wants to make in the next 4 years - unopposed by sober second thought.
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Patrick Ross | 31-Oct-07 at 12:46 am | Permalink
I have to differ with you on this one: rural Saskatchewan voters aren’t going to be electing the Saskatchewan party to oppose, they’re electing them to govern. Given the unlikelihood of the Saskatchewan party sweeping urban Saskatchewan, the opposition will probably be coming from the cities.
However, if I may remind you, a recent poll found 30% of Saskatchewan voters were either undecided, or not saying how they were going to vote. This election contest is not over.
Saskboy | 31-Oct-07 at 1:27 am | Permalink
How are you differing with me?
And I don’t think the Sask Party will sweep urban ridings, but they won’t go without picking up a few the Liberals and NDP don’t get.
Diamond | 31-Oct-07 at 8:30 am | Permalink
Rural voters have in the past elected Liberals. It has only been under the helm of David Karwacki that Liberals have lost the rural support.
Patrick Ross | 31-Oct-07 at 3:31 pm | Permalink
Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, then.
It sounded as if you were suggesting that rural voters elect represenatives specifically to oppose.
Saskboy | 31-Oct-07 at 6:20 pm | Permalink
I meant that in this election the burden on rural voters is to decide if they want a monolithic Sask Party government, or if they’ll be better off choosing some Sask Liberals to keep the Sask Party honest. We already know that the NDP won’t provide a voice for rural issues, no matter what Wall decides to do.