The newest candidate for the Saskatchewan Party leadership said he believes the other five candidates are providing the same old, same old at a time when the New Democrats are rising in the polls
“I think the party needs a change, a fresh new start,” said Rob Clarke, the former Conservative MP for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River. “You’re just seeing the party lose touch with its grassroots members and that’s unacceptable. I believe I can offer a lot for a new vision for the party in regards to getting back to the basics.”
Clarke was in Tisdale Nov. 22, meeting with the mayor and members of council. He was also at the Tisdale Trojans home game against the Beardy’s Blackhawks, where his son Kobey Clarke was playing in goal.
The former MP said he was the New Democrats’ worst nightmare.
“I’m tired of the they-know-best, paternalistic attitude. I think what we have to do is work in collaboration with all stakeholders in the province, the [federal Indigenous and northern affairs] ministry and First Nations and Métis,” he said. “We have to be all-inclusive and work on that because that’s what’s going to build a better Saskatchewan.”
Clarke said he would be focusing on the economy.
“We have to look at different revenue streams that could be available. Saskatchewan’s great for that.”
In terms of agriculture, Clarke said he supported the former Conservative government’s efforts to sign new trade agreements to open up new markets.
“I want to keep Justin Trudeau accountable to that when I’m elected as premier – and we have to keep expanding those markets.”
Clarke also sees potential in forestry, saying that he’d like to see fewer harvested trees wasted and instead processed into furniture and even fence posts.
The candidate, who’s also a former RCMP officer, said he also released a back-to-basics policing policy.
“That’s making police officers more visible on the street. We don’t need them sitting in the office being data entry experts,” he said. “What I’m proposing under my leadership is to hire more support staff, which would give the RCMP members more time to be on the street.”
The candidate said he’d also like to see more all-candidates debates that the six hsoted by the Saskatchewan Party. He lobbied for a debate in the province’s north; the party’s response was the debates were positioned in communities accessible to most of their members, while the rest could watch them online, something that Clarke said hurts those with poor Internet access.
Clarke added the other five candidates – while he wishes them luck – are too similar, giving the same types of answers in the debates.
“Let’s have some sustainable answers and have a meaningful debate, talk about the issues that are facing Saskatchewan residents today. They’re not doing that,” he said. “That’s why I want to get involved in the debates, showing the membership that there is a different avenue where they can actually vote.”
