Lori Carr, a financial planner and Estevan city councillor, will be the Estevan Constituency candidate for the Sask Party once the next provincial election is called.
The Days Inn Plaza was packed with about 300 eligible delegates who were asked to select either Carr or Estevan’s Mayor, Roy Ludwig as their next candidate to replace Doreen Eagles who is retiring from active politics after nearly 17 years as the local constituency representative in the Legislative Assembly. However, until the next election date is set, Eagles will continue to represent the city and immediate district.
“I have never lost before,” Ludwig told the Mercury shortly after the results of the party election were revealed by executive member Bernie Bjorndalen. Ludwig was referring to his 20-year civic political career that has seen him serve as councilor and then mayor for the past two years. “I’m not used to losing, but this has been a great experience. Lori did a better job of membership sales and gathering support,” he said.
“I tried this before,” Carr said with a chuckle, referring to her recent attempt to wrest the Conservative nomination in the Souris-Moose Mountain Constituency from a field of six candidates, as a replacement for the soon-to-retire current MP Ed Komarnicki, a race that was won by Dr. Robert Kitchen.
“Doreen is a tough act to follow,” Carr said during a brief victory acceptance speech, that included words of thanks to her three children and family members who sold memberships on her behalf as part of their effort.
“Roy, we’ll work together,” she said, referring to his support of the Sask Party and his role as their Estevan Constituency president.
“I have a great idea for a team once the writ is dropped and the next campaign gets underway,” she told the Mercury. “I have some people on my committee already and I know some will stay to work on the campaign and there are a few new people wanting in. I’m out in the community and I expect to touch base with a lot of people before the next election, which could be as far as a year away,” said the 45-year-old, who had noted earlier that she would treat the job “not as a post-retirement position,” but as an ongoing job to represent everyone in the area.
“I accept Doreen’s advice to never take any vote for granted,” Carr said. “It’s now time to touch base with friends and it’s wonderful to have people believing in me,” she said.
Each candidate was given 12-minutes to address the membership prior to the vote, and both used the allotted time to reveal a bit about themselves and their families before swinging into their pitch for support.
The voting process went smoothly under the direction of Gord Cameron, who was assigned the task of conducting the process using three polling stations staffed by Sask Party members from outside the Estevan Constituency.
While the votes were being tallied, Kevin Doherty, the Minister of Advanced Education, spoke to the converted, heaping criticism on NDP Leader Cam Broten for the directionless manner in which he was leading the official Opposition.
Doherty was introduced by Eagles who also took a few minutes to pay a sometimes tearful tribute to her supporters and family for their steadiness through her 17-years as the local representative in the legislature.
Doherty also paid tribute to Doreen, who is affectionally known as “Deano” to her caucus colleagues, he said.
Doherty was accompanied by Warren Steinley, another Regina MLA.
Once the votes were tabulated, Bjorndalen announced Carr as the winner with neither the polling numbers or the total number of ballots cast being revealed.
“This has been a long-time goal. I’m 45, my kids are now grown and I’m ready for this challenge,” Carr said.
Carr said she was an advocate for Saskatchewan farmers, “the rock stars of the provincial economy.”
She also pointed out her leadership roles in both professional and volunteer tasks.
“We all know the oil industry is slow now and may be for some time, but we can’t levy more now. We don’t need history to repeat itself. I know I can get things done with my work ethic. I believe in Estevan and I believe in the rural municipalities and towns surrounding it.”
In previous elections, Eagles outpolled her rivals from other parties in convincing fashion. She began with 46.7 per cent of the popular vote in her first campaign representing the then-new Sask Party in 1999, up to her most recent win, a 79.2 per cent margin of support at the polls in 2011.
“Pretty soon I can retire to the farm and read a few good books, instead of things like the abandoned refrigerator act,” Eagles said. “Good things have happened in this province and I hope I played at least a small part in making them happen. Now, let it be a new beginning for someone else and the party,” she said in her speech that preceded the vote.
