A raucous televised debate be-ween Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall and NDP leader Cam Broten last week touched on several key campaign issues but agriculture was not one of them.
The two shouted over each other on topics ranging from the film tax credit, which the Sask. Party government cut after the 2011 election, to education to health care.
Agriculture has been largely unmentioned by the two main parties during this campaign, al-though Wall has called it the backbone of the economy, particularly during the slump in oil prices.
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Broten has pledged improvements to crop insurance and business risk management programs, grain transportation and water management.
He has also continued to raise the issue that he calls “sketchy” land deals regarding prices paid for land acquired for a new Regina bypass and the Global Transportation Hub, a rail and road transportation complex under now construction.
Last week, McNally Enterprises filed a lawsuit against the government over the purchase price of land for the bypass.
The claim alleges the highways ministry paid far less than ap-praised value for two parcels.
The NDP has for months called for an inquiry into the GTH land deal that saw the government pay far more than appraised value.
Before the election was called Wall asked the provincial auditor to review the $21-million purchase.
Last week Broten said the Sask. Party is trying to cover up facts until after the April 4 election.
“But the stench from this deal is covering the province,” he said.
But with just days left in the campaign, polls continue to show Wall and his party ahead.
A Mainstreet poll conducted for Postmedia after the debate found 70 percent of 1,006 people who watched the debate thought the Sask. Party would win.
The race is closest in Regina, the same poll found.
The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.09 percent, 19 times out of 20.
Meanwhile, voters have a record number of candidates to choose from.
Elections Saskatchewan said 268 people were officially nominated by the deadline. That’s 18 more than the previous record set in 1982.
Three parties are running full slates of 61: the Saskatchewan Party, the NDP and the Liberals.
The Green Party has 58 candidates, the Progressive Conservatives, 18, and the Western Independence Party, four.
There are also five people running as independents.
In 2011, there were 191 candidates. However, there are also three more constituencies this time around.
The complete list of candidates and constituency maps can be found at www.elections.sk.ca.
