Estevan is just a couple of weeks removed from learning Estevan MLA Doreen Eagles would not be seeking another term as the Sask. Party representative at the provincial legislature, and already there are two vying for the slot.
Lori Carr, an Estevan native and city councillor in her third term, announced last week she would be seeking the party nomination for the Estevan constituency. Her announcement follows that of her fellow City legislator, Mayor Roy Ludwig, who announced his intentions to go after the Sask. Party nomination immediately after Eagles’s announcement.
Carr served two terms on City council before a one-term hiatus. She later returned to council in the 2012 municipal elections.
She has been a member of Eagles’s executive team for a number of years. She has been involved as the membership chair and is currently treasurer.
“I love the job that she does. It’s something that I want to do,” Carr said about working within Eagles’s sphere. “I’ve learned by being there and being part of the process.”
Carr said she has taken a number of things away from her time observing how Eagles has handled the MLA position, from how to treat a constituency to regularly speaking face to face with the people a politician serves.
The Estevan constituency reaches north to Benson, east along highway 18 to Frobisher and as far west as Radville, encompassing Midale, Halbrite, Torquay and Oungre.
Carr said the regional perspective and awareness of more rural concerns is vital in a constituency that covers the geography that Estevan’s does.
Carr sits on a number of boards as a city councillor and is also on the board of the Sun Country Health Region where she is the vice-chair. She also spends time with the air cadet program in Estevan, calling it a great youth program she sees as important in guiding young people.
With a background in financial planning, Carr said she has always had an interest in politics and her ambitions would be to find where she is best suited in a provincial role, including the pursuit of cabinet positions.
“Politics have always been a big part of my life,” said Carr, who noted her father was involved in campaigns while she was growing up. “I guess it just became a part of me.”
Ultimately, she said she felt she can advocate more for the community and constituency at the provincial level than she can from Estevan’s council chambers.
“That’s the next level I’m ready to go to to help out our city,” Carr said.
She said one of her biggest concerns and a focus were she to be representing the southeast as MLA would be infrastructure and advocating for the flow of provincial funding into Estevan.
She also noted when it comes to health care, she would like to see St. Joseph’s Hospital utilized more fully.
With two individuals already seeking the nomination, and the hope of running for the Sask. Party in an expected Spring 2016 provincial election, the nomination race is starting to shape up like that of the Conservative Party process in Souris-Moose Mountain. Seven Conservatives from around the federal riding, including Carr, put forward their interest after current MP Ed Komarnicki announced he would be retiring from federal politics. Estevan’s Robert Kitchen eventually won the nomination for the federal Tories in November.
