A who's who list of political big whigs were out to help Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Gerry Ritz Wednesday in Lloydminster.
The big names were former longtime MP and cabinet minister Monte Solberg as well as federal employment and immigration minister Jason Kenney.
The occasion was a Conservative party fundraising dinner event at the Stockade Convention Centre, on the Saskatchewan side of the border, for the electoral district associations of both Ritz and neighbouring MP Leon Benoit in Vegreville-Wainwright.
It was a first step in preparing for the next federal election campaign expected in 2015.
The event itself had an election feel to it with a number of "re-elect Gerry Ritz" signs visible in the hall. But plenty of work must still be done before the next election.
One piece of business will be the nomination process itself. During the minority government years, incumbent Conservative MPs automatically were re-nominated under party rules, but new electoral boundaries mean all current Conservative Party of Canada members of parliament will need to seek nomination.
That includes Ritz, who confirmed to reporters he will need to seek nomination. He expects that process to happen either in late 2014 or early 2015, but Ritz said the date is ultimately in the hands of the electoral district association.
"I'm not looking over my shoulder," said Ritz. "I feel comfortable in what I've done. I'll be happy to debate anybody on the issues whether it's a nomination or a full-blown election again coming up in 2015."
Beyond that, Ritz is looking ahead to 2014 in his own role as minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
He told reporters he plans to continue efforts with respect to other trade deals. He said talks continue on TPP - the Trans-Pacific Partnership - as well as on bilateral deals with Japan, Korea and other primary markets. "There's also a growing knowledge that the Asia-Pacific area is short on energy, so of course we want to start moving product in that regard as well."
As for whether there will be progress on the issue of U.S. country of origin labeling, an exasperated-looking Ritz said "God, I hope so."
"The Americans know that this is a trade-distorting policy. They talk in terms of how somehow consumers are demanding of this, but there's actual consumer groups joining industry in a court challenge because they recognize this is not about food safety. We recognize each other's food safety systems and the signs of getting it to that point. This is protectionism, and it has no place in free trade."
The speeches at the event played to a partisan audience, with those at the microphone touting Conservative accomplishments and values. Solberg spoke about how conservative values were rooted in the values of those who settled in the West.
Kenney singled Ritz out for praise for his work ending the Canadian Wheat Board single desk as well as the signing of CETA, the Canada-Europe free trade agreement last month.
He said western agricultural producers will be big winners under that deal and credited Ritz for that.
"That only happened because Gerry Ritz was like a pit bull. He wouldn't let that deal get done until we had proper quota for Canadian livestock exports to Europe. We have him to thank again for getting that deal done."
Kenney also bemoaned the lack of coverage that trade deal got from the Ottawa press corps.
"Apparently what Mike Duffy had for lunch was more important," he said.
It is no surprise that a prime target of both Solberg and Kenney was Liberal leader Justin Trudeau.
Solberg particularly roasted Trudeau's lack of experience, pointing to his jobs as a rafting instructor, part-time drama teacher and for charging charities speaking fees of $20,000.
"He has achieved almost nothing in his life. He's really one of those people who's famous for being famous," Solberg said.
Kenney roasted Trudeau for remarks made at a Toronto fundraiser where he was quoted as saying he admired the "basic dictatorship" of China. "What does that say about his judgment? What does that say about his vision, about his moral vision?" said Kenney.
For Kenney the trip to the western edge of Ritz's riding included more than partisan politics. Earlier in the day Kenney met with the local Filipino community in Lloydminster, "which is growing massively, thanks to our immigration reforms," he said.
"Many of those people are becoming parts of our communities here in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and they're integrating successfully, working really hard, doing a great credit to Canada."
He also toured local businesses, including an oil supply company, and also met with local employers on the Saskatchewan side including representatives from the Battlefords as well as from Kindersley.
Kenney noted concerns expressed by those employers about the scarcity of labour, particularly in the skilled trades, in speaking to the Regional Optimist.
"The economy has been growing so strongly here that the labour market just hasn't kept pace with it," said Kenney, who adds "at least that's a good problem to have."
Kenney says the federal government has been working with provinces to get labour market policies, including with the education and training system with the Canada Job Grant, that are more "responsive to the needs of the labour market." He also said the government had "fixed Canada's broken immigration system so that employers could actually track folks here from abroad with practical skills to fill particular jobs."
A shortage of workers in the skilled trades has been identified as a problem not just in Lloydminster but also in the Battlefords and other parts of Saskatchewan, with concern expressed that a shortage of skilled workers could be a possible roadblock to growth in the province.
"There's no simple magic lever a government can pull to suddenly address those shortages," said Kenney.
He expects that as the scarcity continues, wage rates and compensation will increase and "more Canadians from other parts of the country who are unemployed or underemployed will be willing to move out."
He sees that as one potential solution, but adds "employers everywhere are going to have to make a bigger investment themselves in training." Kenney also stressed the need to find ways for more young aboriginals to move into the workforce.
"Those have got to be some of the solutions. Immigration's part of it but it's not the only part."
