WARMAN — Doug Barr on Friday officially kicked off his bid for the leadership post of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, where he looks forward to opening a new chapter and era for the Tories in the hopes of forming a government that would bring accountability back to the Legislature.
Surrounded by family, friends and party members, Barr mentioned some of his plans to make the province a better place for everyone.
“I want to create jobs right here in Saskatchewan. I want to lower our cost of living while raising our standard of living. I want to lower taxes, and I want to make sure future generations can prosper and enjoy the quality of live we have enjoyed. I want to make Saskatchewan a great place for all of us.”
He continued, “Some of the proposed policies I have are waiving the [provincial sales tax] on goods/services bought from a Saskatchewan-owned and controlled business, no provincial crown corporation or agency will outsource work to companies outside of Saskatchewan without first having to prove that there is no one in Saskatchewan who could do the job. We will work with industries to develop value add to our products. Instead of shipping raw goods to other countries so that they can develop them and sell them for more profit, we will add value in Saskatchewan and create more jobs right here.”
Barr, who was born and raised in Regina, added his family — wife Sarah, who is expecting their third child, and their two kids — is one of the reasons why he decided to throw his hat in the political arena.
“For too long our values and way of life have been under attack and no one has stepped forward. The Saskatchewan Party has been trying to please everyone through their big tent approach, however, that is not working. They have had no accountability through opposition and have been able to virtually do what they want without scrutiny.”
He said, “I’m going to be direct, I’m going to defend our values, and deliver strong policies to show that we’re not just smoke and mirrors. That we actually put thought in our decisions and present those to why the people of Saskatchewan should vote for us.
Barr added the PCP will have their policy convention in the spring of 2022 in Saskatoon where they would establish additional policies and put forth a comprehensive platform. The PCP will also have their three-day annual general membership meeting from Nov. 5 to 7 in Regina to revitalize the party.
He said being Friday, Oct. 1, where the Scott Moe-controlled provincial government had again implemented what he called “discriminatory mandates” was the specific reason why he chose the day to announce his bid for the PCP leadership.
“Regardless of where people stand on the COVID vaccine, people are making health choices that they feel is in their best interest but because it doesn’t align Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party. He [Moe] is now depriving them of quality and dignity of life. He is segregating people and trying to divide us. As a student of history this will not end well if we, the people, don’t take a stand and bring back accountability.”
Barr said, “The government is here to serve the people, not to be the master. They should not be forcing people to do something with their health that they do not want to do, and they definitely should not deny them access to gyms, restaurants, and other venues because of that choice. People have the freedom to make health choices as it does not directly affect another human being.”
Barr added the vaccine passport mandate will only continue to divide the province.
“It is a clear violation of the Constitution as well as the Saskatchewan Health Protection Act. Personal health information is meant to be kept private and should not be required to go to the gym or a restaurant. Businesses should not be forced to follow this mandate or be forced to close down, and they should not have to police this mandate either.”
“How can we continue to trust Scott Moe?" he asked. "He clearly does not have our best interests at heart. The [PCP] welcomes all whether you are vaccinated or not. The [PCP] stands for a heritage of freedom based on individual initiative, honour, integrity, and moral responsibility; equal rights under the law for all without discrimination; government as the servant, not the master; and social progress based on the needs of people, not as means to power.”
He told SASKTODAY that regardless of one’s beliefs on the COVID-19 pandemic, people have the choice when it comes to their health.
“We need to put resources in towards our hospitals and our intensive care units. I think, regardless of where people stand on the vaccine, people have the choice. People are being deprived access to facilities that they should have access to. It is unconstitutional because, [the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms] Section VII states that people have the right to life, liberty, and security without government intervention.”
He said, “It’s up to provincial government, under Section I, to prove that their choices that are infringing on the Constitution are in the best interest of the people. And, I have not seen anything from the provincial government.”
Barr added that revealing one’s health information violates the SHP Act.
“The use of the information is for the benefit of the individuals and not for society as a whole. So, I think the premier needs to refocus on what he’s doing to combat the pandemic. It is a serious issue, of course, but I think he’s putting resources in the wrong place and instead of trying to point blame at unvaccinated people or things like that, he needs to focus on doing a good job himself. Because when the Saskatchewan Health Authority put forth that plan back in April 2020, they had a plan, and he hasn’t followed through on it.”
