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Saskatchewan Party
Active Provincial Party
Founded	1997
Leader	Brad Wall
President	Michelle Hunter
Headquarters	1637 Victoria Ave. Regina Saskatchewan S4P 0P8
Political ideology	Conservatism, Liberalism
International alignment	None
Colours	Green & Yellow
Website	http://www.saskparty.com

The Saskatchewan Party is a centre-right political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former Progressive Conservative and Liberal members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party from power. Some long-time NDP voters and at least one former NDP MLA have joined the party. While it has been a right-of-centre party since its creation, it is now attempting to attract moderate voters. The Saskatchewan Party serves as the province's Official Opposition, holding 28 of the 58 seats in the province's Legislative Assembly.

Contents 1 The party's origins and political basis 2 The 2003 election 3 The party under Brad Wall 4 Clashes with the NDP government 5 Political affiliations 6 References 7 External links

Saskatchewan has traditionally had two dominant political parties, with third parties enjoying limited political success. For the first 25 years of Saskatchewan's history, political power was split between the left-wing Liberals in government, and the right-wing Conservatives (initially the Provincial Rights Party) in opposition. The emergence of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (forerunner of the NDP) forced the Liberals to the right, and as a result of vote-splitting with the Liberals, the Conservatives were no longer able to win seats in the Legislative assembly.

In the late 1970's, the provincial Conservatives (now the Progressive Conservative Party) re-emerged as a political force, forming government for most of the 1980's. However, dissatisfaction with the Tory government resulted in the election of the NDP in 1991, with the Conservatives only maintaining 10 of the 66 seats in the Legislature. A subsequent corruption scandal further weakened the party, and a poor showing in the 1995 general election by both the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties resulted in a desire for a united right-wing alternative to the governing NDP.

In 1997 the Saskatchewan Party was formed by a coalition of former Progressive Conservative Party and Liberal Party members, however it did not result in a formal merger between the two parties. While most Progressive Conservatives joined the new Saskatchewan Party, the Progressive Conservative Party itself was not disbanded. They instead decided to become dormant for the next two election cycles, with party assets held in trust, after which a decision would be made about whether or not to it should be revived. The Saskatchewan Party attracted fewer members from the provincial Liberals, which continued to contest elections.

During the 2003 provincial election, the Saskatchewan Party campaigned on a platform of tax reduction and decreased government involvement in the private sector. The party won 28 seats, while the New Democratic Party won 30 seats. The party was accused of having undisclosed plans to privatize all of the province's crown corporations. Party leader, Elwin Hermanson, stated he would not sell the four major crown corporations, but would consider any offers received. The NDP used the ambiguity of the Saskatchewan Party's position to turn the election into a referendum on crown corporation ownership for many voters, and managed to eke out a small majority government. After Elwin Hermanson proved unable to lead his party to power, he resigned as leader on November 18, 2003.

Brad Wall was acclaimed as the new party leader March 15, 2004, after being the only declared candidate for the leadership. Other caucus members who had expressed interest in running included Jason Dearborn, Allan Kerpan (a former Reform MP), and Ken Cheveldayoff, a Saskatoon-based MLA who at one time was the President of the Young Progressive Conservatives of Saskatchewan.

Wall is seen by many as a more politically moderate leader than his predecessor. Following his appointment as leader, the party unveiled a more moderate policy platform that included, among other things, plans for more treatment beds for crystal meth addicts, democratic workplaces, and a new model for economic development in Saskatchewan. With significantly revised core policies and increased emphasis on social issues, the party is attempting to moderate its image to attract left-of-centre voters. In response to the results of the 2003 election, the entire Saskatchewan Party caucus voted in favour of the NDP's Crown Corporations Public Ownership Act, which provided legislative entrenchment for the ownership of the major crown utilities and services.

While the party has moderated it's views in an attempt to move towards the center, it still retains many traditionally right wing policies. Its agriculture policy, for example, is based on market-choice in the Canadian Wheat Board, a policy shared with the Progressive Conservatives of Alberta. The Saskatchewan Party still rejects both the notion of excessive public involvement in the economy, and government red tape.

Wall, though popular, has faced criticism from both within and outside his party for his tight control of party policy. In February of 2006, Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Brenda Bakken Lackey resigned her seat, prompting a by-election. Her comments that she was leaving politics because the system did not always allow to fully represent her constituents^[1] was regarded by many as being directed mainly at party leader Brad Wall. At the 2007 Saskatchewan Party convention, the party and its leader were criticized for failing to allow policy discussion to take place.^[2]

In February of 2006, the party released a code of ethics document for its members. It set out guidelines for conduct and would outline how to deal with violators. Actions that would be prohibited in this document would include disseminating false information, pressuring prospective contributors and offering bribes to other political parties, candidates or voters. Some penalties would be as severe as even having their party membership revoked.^[3]

In a by-election held on March 5, 2007, the Saskatchewan Party recaptured the seat in the Legislative Assembly left vacant by the death of Ben Heppner. In a first for Saskatchewan politics, Heppner's daughter, Nancy Heppner, will occupy the seat until the next provincial election, anticipated in late 2007 or 2008.

In 2004, the Saskatchewan Party's aggressive questioning of the provincial NDP government over a bad investment, SpudCo, forced cabinet minister Eldon Lautermilch to apologize for misleading the legislature, a fact that only became apparent once sworn evidence was acquired from a civil lawsuit against the province. The party requested a public inquiry.

In March 2006, the Saskatchewan Party introduced a motion calling on the NDP government to apologize for the highly unfavourable and inaccurate portrayal of Jimmy Gardiner in Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story. The government has argued it was not responsible for production of the film, and thus rebuked the motion for an apology.^[4]

In 2006, in preparation for the Weyburn-Big Muddy by-election, the Sask Party was accused of using push polling ^[5] by attempting to link Liberal leader David Karwacki with the unpopular Canadian gun registry. The same poll asked respondents if they linked the Saskatchewan Party with the Progressive Conservative party of Saskatchewan. On May 16, 2006, in an effort to gain political support, they tried to associate the provincial NDP, which had always vocally opposed the gun registry, with their federal party counterparts which support it^[6]. In 2006 the party caucus had released a tax-payer funded advertisement for their party in an effort to be critical of the current NDP administration. This ad became known for the misspelling of Saskatchewan, as "Saskatchwan". The ad was also criticized for having false information, for example claiming rising tuition costs, despite the 3 years of a fully funded freeze in the price of tuition.^[7]

On November 23rd, 2006 the Saskatchewan Party tried to make a political issue about the government trying to reclaim money from tobacco companies for the additional strain smokers placed on the healthcare system. The Saskatchewan Government pointed out in a response that the Saskatchewan Party had accepted a $10,000 donation from Imperial Tobacco in 2003. ^[8]

While not officially aligned with any federal political party, the majority of the Saskatchewan Party's supporters are also involved with the Conservative Party of Canada, with others being associated with the Liberal Party of Canada. Brad Wall, in the 2004 federal election, personally endorsed Conservative candidate David L. Anderson, Member of Parliament for Cypress Hills-Grasslands.

In the 2006 federal election, Brad Wall stated he supported the Conservative Party, but would not personally get involved with a federal election. The previous leader, Hermanson, was a member of the Reform and Canadian Alliance federal parties.

Current Saskatchewan Conservative MPs who have been historically involved with the Saskatchewan Party include Carol Skelton, who served on Elwin Hermanson's constituency executive, Tom Lukiwski, who served as General Manager of the Saskatchewan Party, Dave Batters, who holds a membership in the Saskatchewan Party, Garry Breitkreuz, who supported the formation of the party, Brian Fitzpatrick, who added policy direction while the party was formed, and Lynne Yelich, who worked for Allan Kerpan while served as MP and received funding from the MLA in the 2006 federal election.

1. ^ Leader-Post: Member of Sask. opposition quits
2. ^ Wall defends no policy debate; James Parker. Regina Leader-Post. Regina, Sask.: Feb 3, 2007. pg. C.11.
3. ^ Party members may face code of ethics. Regina Leader Post. Regina, Sask.: February 9, 2006. p. B.3
4. ^ Moose Jaw Times Herald. Moose Jaw, Sask.: Mar 21, 2006. pg. 2
5. ^ CBC: Karwacki shoots back at controversial poll, Yahoo! Canada News: Sask. Party denies using controversial polling technique
6. ^ Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly, Hansard, May 16, 2006 (PDF)
7. ^ ‘Saskatchwan’ Party fumbles spelling in television ad; James Wood. Star - Phoenix. Saskatoon, Sask.: May 18, 2006. pg. A.8
8. ^ CBC: NDP lights into Sask. Party over tobacco donation

• Official website
• Caucus website
• Crown Corporations Public Ownership Act (official text; PDF)

v • d • e Politics of Saskatchewan
Lieutenant-Governor	Gordon L. Barnhart • Former lieutenant-governors
Premier	Lorne Calvert • Former premiers
Opposition Leader	Brad Wall • Former Opposition Leaders
Speaker of the Assembly	Myron Kowalsky
Legislature	Current assembly • Former legislatures • Cabinet
Political parties	Saskatchewan Party • New Democrats • Liberals Progressive Conservatives • Social Credit • Greens
Elections	2003 general election • Past elections • Electoral districts
Current issues	Equalization payments
Other Canadian politics	Federal • BC • AB • SK • MB • ON • QC • NB • NS • PEI • NL • YU • NT • NU