SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party steamrolled over the opposition Nov. 7 on their way to a second, larger, majority and captured a record 64 percent of the popular vote.
Not since 1912, when the Liberals earned 57 percent, has a party earned that much approval from Saskatchewan voters.
Unofficial results late Nov. 7 showed the Sask. Party with 49 seats compared to the NDP’s nine. At dissolution, the parties had 38 and 20, respectively.
The collapse of the NDP, which earned 32 percent of the vote, include d the loss of several long-time MLAs. As well, leader Dwain Lingenfelter did not win his Regina Douglas Park seat.
Read Also
Going beyond “Resistant” on crop seed labels
Variety resistance is getting more specific on crop disease pathogens, but that information must be conveyed in a way that actually helps producers make rotation decisions.
He resigned immediately.
Rural voters overwhelmingly returned the government to power. The earliest returns were from rural ridings and indicated how the night would go.
Yogi Huyghebaert in Wood River was actually the first MLA to be declared elected.
The Saskatchewan general election delivered 49 seats for the Sask. Party and nine for the NDP, an 11 seat drop for the NDP from 2007.
Just 25 minutes after the polls closed, television networks were declaring a Sask. Party majority.
A few urban races were going down to the wire and at press time were too close to call.
Since the Sask. Party already held all the rural seats, its gains were in the cities, including Moose Jaw, Regina, Saskatoon and possibly Prince Albert.
Wall called the victory humbling.
He said the so-called orange wave that moved across the country in other elections this year was not seen in Saskatchewan because, “In this province, green is the colour.”
One of his new MLAs is Saskatchewan Roughriders’ offensive lineman Gene Makowsky, who defeated Kevin Yates in Regina Dewdney.
But Wall noted that electors voted on the promise of Saskatchewan and he pledged the government would do what it said it would to fulfill that potential.
“We will do it with an attitude of humility,” he said.
Mistakes will be made, but fixed.
“Saskatchewan is becoming what it might have been, what it should have been…and we’re not going back,” Wall said.
He also noted the importance of rural Saskatchewan and agriculture to that future.
In his speech to supporters, Lingenfelter said the NDP would be back. He said the NDP platform was principled and progressive and will set the course for the future.
He accepted blame for the party’s loss.
“I am sorry, but we will do better,” Lingenfelter said. “We will be victorious on the principles we believe in, in the next election.”
Liberal leader Ryan Bater was unsuccessful in his bid to win The Battlefords, despite concentrating his campaign on that single seat. Green Party leader Victor Lau was also defeated in Regina Douglas Park.
In the end, the results proved close to what polls predicted days before the vote.
Wall is expected to soon name a cabinet, and a short fall sitting of the new legislature is expected.
