Eric Upshall says he’s responsible for the New Democrats’ election carnage in rural Saskatchewan.
“I guess I blame myself. I was certainly the person who was carrying the ball on the ag side,” said the former agriculture minister.
But he doesn’t know what he could have done differently and neither do his fellow MLAs.
Sask Water minister Maynard Sonntag won the Meadow Lake seat, one of only two NDP candidates who captured a rural riding. He said Upshall was given a difficult portfolio and never backed away from his duties.
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“He went to every rally that he could and was never afraid to get into the middle of any tough situation. He was always there representing the position of government.”
Longtime rural NDP MLA Walter Jess admired Upshall’s dedication to Saskatchewan farmers.
“I think Mr. Upshall defended the farmer to the best of his ability,” said Jess, who was defeated by the Saskatchewan Party candidate in the Redberry Lake riding.
“Eric’s track record over the years, long, long before he was the minister, was very solid in support of the agricultural community.”
The president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities had no comment on the outgoing agriculture minister.
“I’m not into rating ministers,” said Sinclair Harrison.
Upshall said the NDP lost the rural vote because farmers were frustrated over low grain prices and government inaction in getting money to farmers.
“In politics there’s always a point where the people stop saying, ‘Thanks for trying,’ and start saying, ‘You can’t do it for us,'” said Upshall. “The sad part is that the farmers voted in the people that helped take away programs like the Crow Benefit.”
When it comes to assigning blame for the NDP’s crushing defeat in rural Saskatchewan, where the Sask-atchewan Party took 26 of 30 seats, he doesn’t hesitate to point his finger east.
“If Ottawa had delivered some cash when they should have earlier this year it probably would have been a different story.”
He said he was “extremely nervous” about the election right from the start because of the high undecided vote. In previous elections those undecided votes would tend to split down the middle, but in recent provincial elections throughout the country, the undecided vote has drifted as a block one way or the other.
“I kept saying to my campaign team, ‘That’s the thing that worries me.’ “
Upshall leaves public office physically and mentally exhausted. The last few months have taken their toll.
“It was extremely difficult on the old constitution because you see people who are desperate and you’re trying to get some support for them and it’s simply taking too long.”
Upshall, who lost his Watrous seat to the Saskatchewan Party candidate by more than 2,000 votes, welcomes the impending tranquility.
“Very few people know the horrendous hours that not only ministers put in, but their staff put in. The defeat is something that will change all that for me. A rest I probably needed.”
He has been an MLA since 1986 and was given the agriculture portfolio on Nov. 22, 1995. Upshall said he put up a good fight on behalf of farmers this summer, but to no avail.
“If there’s one thing that I did accomplish was to get everyone focused where the focus should be and that’s on Ottawa.”
After “chilling out” for a little while, Upshall will go about a familiar task – looking for money for farmers, but this time he’ll be hunting for cash for his own operation near Young, Sask.
“I’ve worked off farm every year since I started in 1974 because that’s what you have to do as a farmer and it won’t be any different now.”
