Saskatchewan NDP leader Cam Broten, who lost his seat in the April 4 election, says he will take time to consider his future.
The NDP won 10 of the 61 seats, up one from 2011.
However, Broten lost by 232 votes to the Saskatchewan Party’s David Buckingham in Saskatoon Westview.
Broten issued a statement thanking his team for their hard work.
“Obviously this is not the result we hoped for,” he said. “It’s been a great honour to serve for eight years as the MLA for Saskatoon Massey Place.”
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He ran in Westview as a result of the constituency boundary changes for this election.
“Now I’m going to spend a couple of days with my family, speak with my colleagues, and consider how we move forward,” Broten said.
Of the 10 NDP members, four are in Regina, three in Saskatoon, one in Prince Albert and two in the northern constituencies.
Half are female, including rookies Nicole Sarauer in Regina Douglas Park, a seat the NDP took back from the Sask. Party, Carla Beck in Regina Lakeview, where long-time NDP MLA John Nilson did not run again, and Nicole Rancourt in Prince Albert Northcote, who defeated the Sask. Party incumbent Victoria Jurgens.
New Sask. Party MLAs include former Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president David Marit in Wood River, former SARM vice-president Doug Steele in Cypress Hills and former seed grower and Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer winner Warren Kaeding in Melville-Saltcoats.
Premier Brad Wall told reporters April 5 he planned a caucus meeting April 6. The government has pressing issues to deal with, including the slide in oil prices that has affected revenues.
Election results will be official after the final count on April 16.
After that the Legislature will be recalled, a throne speech delivered and a budget announced likely in late May.
Contact karen.briere@producer.com
