There were power suits, party lines and platforms; slogans, rhetoric and signage. And even Brad Wall's face on a water bottle.
Politics came alive in a classroom in Annaheim School last week, as the senior drama class presented a provincial election debate to their fellow students.
Students from all grades packed into a small classroom in the school on November 4 to hear the drama class channel the four parties involved in the Saskatchewan provincial election and argue for votes.
The Green Party, ran on the slogan of "If you want change, vote Green," while the Liberals encouraged people to "Vote Liberal - because there is a better way."
The New Democratic Party stated that a "vote for the NDP is a vote for change, where you benefit," and the Saskatchewan Party promised to keep "Moving Saskatchewan forward - one day at a time."
Following opening statements, the students from each party presented their stance on education, health care, social issues and housing, and the economy.
Students in the crowd then asked questions prepared by staff members, to flesh out more of what the parties stand for. For instance, "Is the Green Party only concerned about the environment?" and "What is your position on the cutting of teacher assistants this fall?"
In response to "What is the most important issue to your party in this election?" the parties clearly identified housing and doctor shortages, keeping potash money in the province, and putting more money into the health-care system.
Each party was then called on to expand on their ideas to deal with those issues.
The answers given to these questions were well researched, and the students well prepared for this debate.
That's due to time their teacher, Ricky Block, allowed them to take in both their drama and English classes to research the party platforms online and in local newspapers. He even gave them information from unions to help them determine what their parties stand for.
Holding this sort of debate "gives the kids here a chance to do a little research and understand (the parties)," Block said.
They use a formal debate setting, Block said, to get across to students the importance of elections.
It also helps students understand that promises made during an election sometimes can't be kept right away.
"It could be... 10 years... before one comes through," he said. "Things change really slow in government. They learn that."
Harrison Rohel was one of the students debating for the Liberal Party.
He had to learn everything about his party at the outset of this project, he indicated.
"I didn't know much about (the Liberals)," he said.
Beyond learning about his party, though, he also gained knowledge of how a platform works, and what the big issues are - health care, the economy and "potash is a big thing," he said.
This debate actually got him thinking about running for office at some point in his future.
"You get to lead the whole of Saskatchewan... make decisions for everyone.... You're spending everyone's money. I would actually consider (running for office), yes," he said.
Shane Kunz, a representative of the NDP in the debate, would also consider politics in his future, he said.
"It would be a pretty cool job, I think," he said.
He's on the student representative council at Annaheim School right now, and enjoys his job as secretary.
"I think politics would be a good thing," he said.
But he also wants to be a doctor.
Kunz was in charge of researching the NDP's health-care platform for the debate, and in doing so, he learned that his party wasn't only interested in the economy, which was his preconceived notion heading in.
"Now that I know all about it, it made me think a lot about what I want to do," he said.
Dylan Knittig was among the students on the Sask. Party team in the debate. And after taking part, he wants no part of running for office.
"I'm not really into politics," he said.
Still, he gained some knowledge by taking part in the debate.
"I learned a lot about party platforms and how real debates (work)," he said, "which I didn't know much about."
This exercise is a good one for all kids to do, he feels.
"They get to see how it all works. And learn more about it.... (to) make a more informed vote," he said.
Following the debate, students at Annaheim School participated in the Student Vote program. The Sask. Party won the vote at Annaheim with 42 votes. The NDP came in second with 21, and the Green Party third with 17.
The Liberals were not on the ballot, as there were no candidates in the Melfort riding to which Annaheim belongs.
