With the need for a new Conservative leader, there has been a search across the country for someone who could spend the next four years rebuilding the party and making it relevant again. Of the many candidates, some eyes have fallen on Saskatchewan’s own premier, Brad Wall.
It’s easy to understand why he’s garnered attention. He’s well liked and accessible – words that have never really applied to Stephen Harper – he’s leading a relatively conservative government – though it is definitely not on the far right, just more on the right than the province’s main alternative – and he’s made a name for himself with the province’s relative economic strength. He’s also the one that finally pushed his party into power eight years ago. More recently, spent most of the recent election campaign trying to get Saskatchewan issues on the public stage. In theory, he would make a good choice for a Conservative leader.
Then again, why would he want to?
This is not to say he can’t, someone like Wall would be what the party needs. The current Conservative party has turned into an insular, paranoid entity off in its own little corner of the political spectrum. Wall’s style could serve to pull the party out of this corner and back into relevance. But, where is the incentive for the man himself? He would have to significantly change party culture as a part of the rebuild process, and drag it kicking and screaming back to reality, a nearly impossible task.
There’s also his own party to worry about. The Saskatchewan Party is not in crisis like the federal Conservatives, but there are two things happening. One, it’s about to go for its own four year mandate in a few months. It’s too late to select a new leader before that, if he wins immediately going off to Ottawa would anger voters, and if he loses it would be going into the leadership contest on a down note. It’s awful timing for such a campaign. Two, a lot of the old guard of the party is entering retirement, people like Ken Krawetz and June Draude, people who have been there since it was founded. It’s not a sign of crisis, but it does mean there has to be a bit of consistency as the party gains new members and continues to evolve.
Wall also seems to cherish his role as a “regular guy,” which is at odds with being at the federal level. He likes that he’s the kind of leader who still buys his own groceries – it has been mentioned in speeches and reflected in reality, as he followed my brother across Swift Current buying food – and seems like he would do poorly as someone who would require a security detail. This philosophy would be great for the federal Conservatives, of course, because one of the party’s primary problems is that it is closed off and insular, an open and accessible leader is definitely required to rebuild. But it’s still, by necessity, a sphere of politics that requires less accessibility than Wall would like.
The Conservatives would be wise to get a Brad Wall in charge, because it needs someone that can engage the population. But I would doubt that it can convince the actual Brad Wall to throw his hat into the ring. He’s got a good thing going as the Premier of Saskatchewan, and it’s a role better suited for his personality than federal politics.
