Early Signs of the Saskatchewan General Election Campaign Emerging

The Saskatchewan general election is still more than five months away, but early signs of the upcoming campaign are already starting to emerge as the spring legislative sitting comes to a close.

Premier Scott Moe has been making the rounds, appearing at various government announcements alongside his ministers. Billboards featuring Moe and the tagline “Classrooms, Care and Communities” have also been popping up around the province, including one strategically placed right beside Opposition Leader Carla Beck’s constituency office in Regina.

Beck, not one to be outdone, recently unveiled her “Hire Saskatchewan Plan,” promising to prioritize Saskatchewan workers and products if the NDP were to form government. Moe criticized the plan for lacking detail, setting the stage for what promises to be a lively election campaign.

Inside the assembly, the Saskatchewan Party has been taking aim at Beck, particularly focusing on her recent trip to Ottawa to attend a meeting of the Canadian Labour Congress. Moe and his caucus have referred to the event as “Trudeau campaign school,” insinuating ties between Beck and the federal Liberals and NDP.

The two leaders had a chance to go head-to-head during a three-hour question and answer session, where Moe accused Beck of supporting the federal government on multiple occasions. Beck, in turn, defended her actions and criticized the Saskatchewan Party for rolling over for Stephen Harper on equalization.

Affordability has been a key point of contention, with Beck pushing for a temporary cut in the provincial fuel tax to ease the burden on Saskatchewan families. Moe defended his government’s affordability measures, pointing to the province’s low utility costs and criticizing the federal carbon tax.

The NDP’s motion for a temporary cut in the fuel tax was ultimately defeated, but Beck has made it clear that affordability will be a central theme in their election campaign moving forward.

As the election draws nearer, it’s clear that the battle lines have been drawn, setting the stage for what promises to be a closely contested and hard-fought campaign in Saskatchewan.