With provincial and municipal elections coming this fall across the province, Saskatchewan’s northwestern community are excited to see who will join councils in towns and villages along Highway 155.
While COVID-19 is going to play a large part in elections this year, that is not the biggest concern of people going to cast their votes.
Beauval Mayor Nick Dougneault said the Valley View Community School gymnasium will be able to accommodate voter booths while allowing for social distancing for the flow of people that will be coming to cast their votes.
Around 16 candidates historically run in the municipal council, Dougneault said, and they are people that want to get involved in the community and are willing to listen. The community is always willing to give creative and positive feedback, he said, so they want councillors who are willing to listen.
Communities along the Northwest corridor do not work alone, Dougneault said, and leaders work together to get stuff done.
“We're very proud and we're very strong when we work together and we want to continue that. Part of that is making sure we have the right leadership that is open and willing to do that and they're not just saying ‘no, we're our own community’.”
Northern Village of Île-à-la-Crosse councillor Gerald Roy said they will be taking every precaution to ensure everyone’s safety and privacy is protected during election time. While election stations were normally in the health centre, due to COVID restrictions, Roy said they will have to find a new space that will accommodate the flow of voters while they social distance.
Roy said they are waiting for the provincial government to weigh in on guidelines for voting stations as well as discuss additional funding to assist in additional cleaning expenses, however, nothing has been sent out yet as well as.
Northern communities have always had strong numbers of candidates and voters at election time and Roy doesn’t think COVID-19 is going to change that. What Roy does want to see is more young people running for council seats since technological advances are having more on northern communities. Young people are the right people for that job with a bigger place on the village council and a hand in streamlining municipal business, Roy said.
Young people do move back to the north following the completion of their post-secondary degrees, he said, and that is going to bring a boost of fresh ideas back to their communities. Municipalities need to be able to embrace change and new ways of thinking, Roy said, and that can happen at election time.
