If one looks at the 27 Saskatchewan rural seats the NDP simply will not contest, Kindersley would certainly be in the top five.
For those that haven’t been following provincial politic closely, NDP leader Cam Broten said in year-end interviews he believes his party is competitive with the Saskatchewan Party in 34 of the 61 seats on the province’s new electoral map.
To be clear, “being competitive” does not mean winning them all. It may not mean even winning half of them.
What it does mean is New Democrats’ polling shows they think they can only have a chance in the urban and northern seats.
While that might mean more seats on April 4th than the nine seats the NDP currently hold (presumably, nine of the 34 seats in which the NDP claims it is competitive), it would seem to mean that even New Democrats know that they are a long ways away from the 31 seats needed to form a majority government.
What it also means, is the NDP is basically writing off those other 27 ridings, thought to be rural seats like Kindersley.
One can certainly understand why the NDP would be writing off such seats.
The NDP hasn’t won the Kindersley-area seat since 1971 when Allan Blakeney first became premier.
And either the Progressive Conservatives or Sask. Party have now won this seat in every election since the 1978 — even when their local MLA has given Kindersley voters ample reason to question their actions.
Despite the Grant Devine Progressive Conservative government that left Kindersley voters without representation longer than just about Canadians in peace time history, the fact that former PC MLA Bob Andrew was one of those convicted in the PC caucus fraud scandal and even the fact that current Sask. Party MLA Bill Boyd switch parties, voters in this large farm and oil-based seats have shown their strong preferences to selecting the right-wing alternative.
In fact, Boyd has now represented the riding for almost 25 years — his first six years as a Progressive Conservative and his last 19 as a founder and major with the Sask. Party that included the past eight years as the government’s economic development minister.
One wonders if Boyd has even campaigned all that much in his riding since his first election in 1991 — largely because he hasn’t had to campaign all that much.
After all, he still did amazing well in Kindersley even when spending much of his election time campaigning provincewide as PC leader or as a Sask. Party key strategist.
So does that mean the Sask. Party is impervious to the recent criticism of Boyd and his handling of issues like the Global Transportation Hub?
Well, let us be clear that there is a very high probability that the Sask. Party will win and an even higher probability that Boyd will cruise to an easy victory in Kindersley.
But it might be interesting to watch and see if voters are ready to send a bit of a message.
Setting aside rumours and controversies directly related to Boyd, issues related to his performance as minister are starting to pile up.
The 2009 debacle over the predicted $2-billion in potash royalty revenue that turned into the government paying the industry money was on Boyd’s watch. So was the debacle over SaskPower’s so-called Smart Meters and much of the controversy over the $1.9-billion carbon capture and storage project at Boundary Dam.
Now, add in the story that the Global Transportation Hub — also a Boyd responsibility — where wound up paying three and four time more than market value for land. You have a narrative that voters don’t much like.
It’s unlikely to cost Boyd his seat or the Sask. Party government.
But don’t assume that means voters in Kindersley or elsewhere are completely happy.
Murray Mandryk has been covering provincial politics for over 22 years.
