The election for Division 3 in the RM of Estevan features a showdown between a veteran councillor and a first-time challenger.
Dennis Blackburn, who has been a councillor for the RM for 16 years, will face Kevin Daoust. The vote will take place on Nov. 9.
Blackburn said he has been trying to get cabins and houses constructed adjacent to Rafferty Dam, similar to what has been built near Boundary Dam, but it hasn’t been accomplished yet.
“I think it’s time … that we get together with some of the adjoining RMs that join on with that dam, and see if we can get enough people to go to the government and lobby and see if we can get some ground freed up,” said Blackburn.
It would mean a lot for the RM, especially with the uncertain future of the power plants and coal mines. Blackburn believes it’s tough to know what’s going to happen next, because the federal government didn’t have a plan for this area.
“We have to get something here, a refinery or something. We have to be able to sell finished products, not give away our raw products. And we’re giving our raw products away, because wherever we ship our oil to, somebody else is refining it. Wherever we ship our grain to, somebody else is making the flour, making the oils.”
Blackburn said it’s important for the RM to continue maintaining the roads.
A retired coal miner and farmer, Blackburn said he has the time to be on council, and he enjoys the work. He believes the RM has done a great job this term by building new roads and lowering taxes.
Daoust said he has always had an interest in what is happening in the RM, and he’s coming to the end of his career at SaskPower. So he believes now is a good time to run and give something back.
His family has resided in Division 3 for nearly 20 years.
During the next four years, he hopes to work with the provincial government to strengthen this corner of the province.
“Roads are important to me, of course and I think there’s a few upgrades that we can do to the roads, but probably my main focus is going to be to rejuvenate not only the rural in this area around Estevan, but Estevan as a whole,” he said.
Daoust said he has tracked what is happening in Division 3. The division took a hit during the flood of the Souris River in 2011, and the Daoust farm wasn’t immune from the damage. He hopes the RM can be ready should a similar flood happen again.
He’s pleased to see the RM council has embraced acreage owners during the past term.
“We’ve allowed that to take a bit of a foothold in the area. I think what that does is help the tax base for the Estevan RM,” he said.
Daoust will also be watching to see what happens with the coal mines and the power production facilities.
If elected, he said he would make decisions on a calm, cool-headed approach, and not make rash decisions.
