The problem for the new Saskatchewan Party Premier is that he or she is going to have to deal with a lot of problems.
And so far, there just aren’t many real answers emerging from this leadership contest.
Consider former environment minister Scott Moe’s impressive campaign kickoff, attended by a shocking 22 government MLAs _17 of which were from rural ridings.
A lot of people in the cities — and likely a lot in the country, as well — don’t know who this relative political known is.
He certainly doesn’t have the cabinet experience of former parks minister Ken Cheveldayoff or former justice minister Gord Wyant. He likely hasn’t studied politics as extensively as for University of Regina professor and social services minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor.
And he doesn’t have the same corporate and governance experience as Alanna Koch, who has taken a leave of absence from her job as deputy minister to Premier Brad Wall to run for her boss’s job.
What Moe does have is overwhelming caucus support — especially from the rural caucus where more than half of its 29 members have now thrown their support behind this dark horse.
This appears to be something long in the making.
Prior to Moe’s entry into the race, sources say Health Minister Jim Reiter had been quietly building towards a campaign run of his own.
However, Reiter announced last month that he would not be running for premier’s job due to health issues in his family.
That left the campaign team that Reiter was building looking for a home. Along came Moe, whose for is obviously the right fit for a lot of Sask. Party caucus colleagues.
Moe has vowed to carry on the Wall agenda, which means support for a lot of rural issues like limiting taxes on farm inputs like gas, fertilizer and chemicals, increased highways spending, support for rural schools, hospitals and nursing homes and the maintaining of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities’ structure.
He also has vowed to fight Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax — a popular stance in rural Saskatchewan.
Besides Reiter, this approach has also attracted the support of current Environment Minister Dustin Duncan and Advanced Education Minister Kevin Doherty (both of whom, were thought to be seriously looking at a leadership run) and former economy minister Jeremy Harrison (who was in the race, but bowed out to throw his support behind Moe).
Of course, Moe is not the only one laying claim to strong rural support.
Koch, a former deputy minister of agriculture and former executive director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers certainly has agriculture and rural credentials.
Cheveldayoff is running under the theme of “rural roots and urban strong” to remind voters that he’s from Blaine Lake.
Even Beaudry-Mellor and Wyant — who is being supported by Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart and party founder June Draude — are paying special attention to the rural vote.
This is a long-overdue attention for huge portion of the province that’s been largely ignored in provincial campaigns since 1999.
But does winning rural Saskatchewan and ensuring its interests are properly represented address the political problems for the Sask. Party government or economic problems of this province as whole.
Whoever the new premier is, he or she inherits a structural deficit and a rising $20-billion public debt. Job creation has been at a stand still for two years now.
And with the growing suspicions of a scandal at the Global Transportation Hub, the political problems for the Sask. Party may be bigger than the economic problems.
Appealing to rural voters is great, but it won’t address what ails the Sask. Party government right now.
And neither Moe nor any of the other leadership hopefuls are providing to the bigger problems.
Murray Mandryk has been covering provincial politics for over 22 years.
