It wasn't just provincial New Democrats looking to revive their electoral fortunes in Saskatchewan at last weekend's NDP leadership convention.
The federal NDP has also struggled in the province of late, having been shut out of seats in the province in every election since 2004.
Hoping to change the fortunes of both wings was federal NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, who arrived in Saskatoon to speak to convention delegates Saturday.
He offered his support to provincial members and to the new provincial leader towards forming an NDP government in Saskatchewan, before heading off to Washington, D.C. this past week.
But while Mulcair has pledged his assistance to the Saskatchewan NDP, he has also been under fire from political opponents in the province over the past year over remarks that Canada was suffering from "Dutch disease."
Last year Mulcair pointed the finger at oil exports from Alberta for driving up the dollar and depressing the manufacturing sector. His stance drew the ire of political opponents at the time, including Premier Brad Wall, who slammed the remarks as divisive.
It was under that backdrop that Mulcair spoke to provincial NDP delegates Saturday afternoon.
In his address Mulcair slammed the federal Conservatives on issues such as universal health care and plans to raise the retirement age to 67. He drew laughs when he compared defence minister Peter MacKay to Jethro Bodine.
But Mulcair presented a mainly moderate tone when he spoke on the resource sector. Mulcair told delegates he supported what he calls sustainable development.
"We've been pushing hard in NDP for sustainable development. Of course we want more development of resources. Of course we want greater access to new markets. But we also want to make sure the basic rules of sustainable development, like polluter-pay, are applied."
Mulcair took a tough tone when speaking against the China-Canada Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, which Mulcair contends would allow China-owned companies such as NEXEN to bid on all the oil leases they want.
He said it "plays into your ability to control the natural resources in the interest of today and in the interest of future generations. Mr. Harper is wrong on the China deal."
In speaking to reporters Mulcair further explained his party's stance on resource development.
"We've been very consistent. We want to see more development, but we want it to be sustainable development. The problem is the federal government, and that's all I've ever talked about, has not been enforcing existing federal legislation," said Mulcair. The Fisheries Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act are examples, he said.
"At the same time that we want sustainable development we want to make sure we don't want to allow the country's biggest polluters to continue to get a free ride," said Mulcair.
But Mulcair stood firm in saying the high Canadian dollar is putting pressure on manufacturing, and spoke in support of a "balanced economy."
"With regard to the lack of a balanced economy under the Conservatives, it's a simple fact," Mulcair told reporters. "We've lost over 600,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs since the Conservatives came to power. A lot of that has to do with the artificially-high Canadian dollar making it more difficult for all export industries, not just manufacturing - whether its agriculture or fisheries or forestry, they've all been having a rough time."
When asked whether his stance on resource development was a tough sell in the West, Mulcair was adamant.
"We're favourable to resource development as long as it's sustainable development. And you know what? All Canadians agree with us on that. A basic principle like polluter-pay - it doesn't matter what province you're from, everyone agrees with that."
