Merv Malish of Canora was nominated November 30 as the Progressive Conservative candidate for the Canora-Pelly constituency in the next provincial election.
Going into the last two election cycles, the PC party was hampered by financial constraints and only four or five candidates were nominated, said Rick Swenson, the provincial leader. Now that the party again has control of its finances after winning a court battle with the Saskatchewan Party, the party will be able to provide a lot more support to candidates in this election cycle.
Voters can expect to see a lot of signs, advertising and even polling to get the party’s message out, he said. There are close to 10 candidates ready to run thus far and by the time of the election next spring, Swenson said he would like to have a candidate in every constituency.
The PCs are not delusional about forming government this time around but with a growing base, the party will demonstrate to voters that there is a real alternative other than the NDP party, Swenson said.
The party is also gaining in terms of its human resources, he said. Having a candidate with Malish’s credentials is a big bonus to the party and a good indication of the type of opposition the governing party can expect from the PCs.
“We are the party of John Diefenbaker. We stand up for the little guy and we have a vision for the long term,” said Swenson. “We believe in being fiscally responsible with progressive ideals.”
Looking at the financial state the province is now in, he said the Sask. Party has proven it can not be trusted with the province’s finances.”
“The Sask. Party government has mismanaged a boom, and now Saskatchewan taxpayers are left on the hook to pay for their mistakes,” Swenson said. “Their lack of vision when the money was rolling in is now evident as shown in the mid-year financial update.
“The government claims it has been able to reduce the deficit by $30 million from earlier projects,” Swenson said. “Meanwhile, it borrowed $700 million to balance the budget. They allowed the South Regina Bypass to balloon by another $600 million in five months. They are cutting front line health care workers, while allowing upper management to pull in large salary increases.
“If they had vision, they would see that moving the bypass to a northern route would save $1 billion, which in itself would solve the current deficit issue. Instead, they choose to blame all their problems on the lower resource prices instead of planning for something they knew would eventually happen.
“Our province cannot simply sit by and let this lack of vision ruin us. We need to send this government a message in April,” said Swenson.
Going over his biography, Malish said it is through his personal and professional experiences, as well as his training, to commit to meeting the needs of the constituency. As the MLA, he pledged to bring a solution focus and a vision for the future in serving his constituents.
He talked about visiting medical centres, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in the constituency and listening to the concerns being raised. The health region is bureaucratically top heavy while the front line is suffering.
“We need to return to accountability. These high end jobs are governed by politically appointed boards. Do you believe these managers’ wages are a true reflection of their qualifications?”
Highways were also a concern that Malish brought up. As an example, he said that Good Spirit Lake has one of the largest resorts in the province, but there is only one paved road connecting the public to the south end of lake. Too much money is flowing towards the Regina bypass while important roads in the rest of the province go unattended.
Rural communities are suffering and a good example is the lack of descent roads to communities such as Stenen and Hyas, Malish said.
In speaking to farmers, Malish said he detects a real fear that the lifestyle once known on the farm is gone. “Some farmers tell me that they’ve lost their identity and feel controlled by all the rules and regulations – regulations that often take away from autonomy and independence.”
Malish closed by saying: “As a professional counsellor and a group facilitator, I have a reputation for standing up for the underdog, the damned and the mis-understood. I am also a professional listener. And regardless where I have worked, everyone learned that my clients always come first. I have worked with some people whom others refuse to work with and I have watched lives change for the better.”
Swenson said the public will see a big difference in the alternative choices offered by the PC candidates. When it comes to the big issues like health, it’s time to look at a third option and have a full-blown discussion with the public.
Noting his and Malish’s experiences, Swenson said: “We are of an age when it is time to set the table for the next generation. How we set that table says a lot. The PC Party is finding the people with the fire in their bellies to work for change. Elect them and let them go.”
Swenson was first elected as a Progressive Conservative MLA in 1985. He was re-elected in 1986 and 1991, a period when he served in several portfolios in the cabinet. He served as the acting leader of the opposition in the legislature in 1993-94 and then he became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. He retired from the Legislature in 1995 but was then elected as a party trustee to oversee two election cycles in which the party was in a hiatus. In 2004, he was elected as the Party leader and continues to hold that position.
