One of the most famous jackets in Saskatchewan is now hanging in the
family room of a home near Moosomin.
Sinclair Harrison choked up at times during his final address as
president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities on
March 7.
He thanked his family and all who supported him during his 16 years on
the board.
He spent the last eight years as president and announced his
resignation in January, saying it was time for someone else to take up
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the challenge.
“I’m going to hang this jacket in my family room and it’ll be there
forever,” Harrison said, referring to the distinctive gold jackets that
easily identify SARM board members.
Tributes to Harrison abounded during the annual convention last week in
Regina, overshadowing the acclamation of new president Neal Hardy.
“I’m not Sinclair Harrison,” Hardy said in an interview. “I’m not going
to pretend to be.”
But Harrison did become a leading rural spokesperson during his tenure.
Hardy said he will take advantage of the doors Harrison opened.
Hardy, 67, is no stranger to rural politics.
He was elected a Progressive Conservative MLA for Kelsey-Tisdale in a
1980 byelection and later served in several cabinet portfolios,
including six years as minister of rural development in former premier
Grant Devine’s PC government.
He farms 1,200 acres in the Rural Municipality of Hudson Bay, where he
is a councillor, and had been SARM vice-president.
Bob Schultz of the RM of Wilton defeated Jim Hallick of the RM of Keys
for the position of vice-president.
Hardy said his political background is not an issue for RMs or the
current provincial government.
“I worked with all these RMs when I was a minister and I treated them
the way I’d want to be treated and I’ll do the same thing now.”
He said the possibility of another drought this year and the issues of
assessment and education tax will be SARM’s main concerns this year.
“I know we’re supposed to be more municipal government than
agriculture, but they all tie together,” he said.
“If our farmers out there have no dollars, then the RMs have a tough
time collecting the dollars.”
Hardy said he may be less front-and-centre than Harrison on some
issues, but hopes to work co-operatively with other governments and
organizations.
