The Yorkton-Melville riding's three major competing parties nominated candidates over the weekend to go up against Conservative Garry Breitkreuz in the rapidly-approaching May 2 federal election.
Doug Ottenbreit will once again be running on behalf of the New Democratic Party. Ottenbreit, a 52-year-old Melville lawyer, took second place in the 2008 election and had previously been a candidate in Ontario.
The NDP candidate says the first issue of his campaign will be "making Parliament work," something he believes has not recently been the case. Ottenbreit says he finds it ridiculous that Harper blames the opposition parties for the loss of confidence in the government.
"Quite frankly, I think it's the people of Canada and the people of this riding that have lost confidence in him."
Ottenbreit also says that Breitkreuz and his party have failed to clean up the scandals of the outgoing Liberal government, as they promised to do.
"They've replaced the Liberal scandals with their own."
The lawyer, a lifelong active New Democrat, criticizes the Conservatives' spending priorities.
"It's clear that Mr. Harper's government," Ottenbreit says, "is more committed to spending money on military jets and adventures overseas than he is on spending money that will make life more affordable for seniors and others who live right here in this community."
Ottenbreit endorses NDP leader Jack Layton's plan to spend around $700 million on social programs for seniors.
"We're talking about increasing their pensions by some $125 a month, which is enough to raise 300,000 seniors out of poverty or almost out of poverty."
Ottenbreit also takes a strong stance on the Wheat Board.
"I think the people of this riding have spoken very clearly, particularly in the last election, that the government should keep their hands off the wheat board and let it go about doing its business."
Retired judge Kash Andreychuk is the Liberal candidate for Yorkton-Melville. Andreychuk grew up in Saltcoats and Esterhazy and spent 35 years as a circuit judge for the region.
The 68-year-old campaigned actively for the Liberals as a young man, but put his political interests on hold for his judicial career. Now he's coming out of retirement for his first run at office.
"I'm a political rookie," he says.
Andreychuk believes the first priority of the government should be in assisting those citizens harmed by the financial downturn. Improving education funding for the young and pension funding for the elderly is the solution, he says.
"This is where we should focus. These people need help."
Andreychuk criticizes what he calls Harper's lack of respect for Parliament and the processes of government, something underscored by the recent finding of the Conservatives in contempt of Parliament.
"I was on the bench for 35 years, and in all those years I held two people in contempt of court. Both of them went to jail," he says. "The system deserves your respect. It deserves your attention to the process."
The Liberal candidate is especially critical of the Conservative government's planned purchase of 65 warplanes at an estimated cost of 10 to 30 billion dollars. Andreychuk is not opposed to equipping Canadian troops, but says the purchase represents "a major shift" of the Canadian military from a peacekeeping role to an aggressive one.
"With something as major as that, I think the people should decide."
The former judge has lived in Yorkton since 1973.
"I'm running because I think it's the right thing to do," he says. "I have no illusions about winning, losing, or whatever. I'm just going to run as hard as I can."
Elaine Hughes, who lives on an organic farm near Archerwill, will represent the Green Party.
"I've always been an environmentalist and appreciated the wonderful world we live in, and all the things that support our life on this planet," she says.
Over her life, Hughes has been a member of the Royal Canadian Navy, has worked as a dental assistant and an administrative assistant, and has volunteered in West Africa and the Central Pacific. She currently participates in environmental and social justice organizations including the Council of Canadians, the Food for All Coalition, and the National Farmers Union.
Hughes' number one issue is the environment.
"In everything we do, we should be putting the environment first, because without it, we have nothing," she says. "That piece is missing, especially in a province like Saskatchewan."
The candidate is part of Saskatchewan's anti-nuclear movement.
Other priorities for Hughes include building strong communities and a "smart economy" based on sustainable support for local producers, as well as "true democracy built on truth and trust."
Hughes advocates protecting Canada's independence.
"We are our own country, and there's no need for us to become anybody's annex."
The Green candidate is a proponent of electoral reform; she calls for a system that gives better representation to parties with significant but thinly-spread support.
"If we don't change the way we elect our decision-makers," she says, "we're going to keep getting what we've got."
