HUMBOLDT–WATROUS — When asked what was the most important issue facing Humboldt–Watrous, Saskatchewan Party candidate Donna Harpauer said it was dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic.
“We think the No. 1 issue in this particular election is who can best lead Saskatchewan to a recovery,” she said, adding the next government elected after the Monday, Oct. 26 provincial election will have to get Saskatchewan to where it was and then grow even more to ensure government services are sustainable.
Harpauer grew up on a small farm near Guernsey, attending Lanigan Central High before moving to Saskatoon to work as a medical laboratory technologist. She later returned, farming in the LeRoy area.
“I’ve always had a lot of passion for this area and for Saskatchewan as a whole,” she said.
Harpauer said her family was always following politics, and it was that background that got her interested in the Sask. Party when it was formed in 1997.
“Ultimately, I definitely lean towards economic issues,” she said. “I've been a hardcore believer that if you don't have a strong economy, you can't pay for the services that people want in the province and I still am very firmly of that belief, that it starts with the economy.”
She was first elected as an MP in 1999 and has served in the legislature ever since. She has been in a number of cabinet roles, most recently as finance minister.
Harpauer said the shutdown caused by the pandemic has been devastating for businesses, which is why the Sask. Party has been working on simulating the economy. Actions to do that includes being one of the first provinces to have a reopening plan, setting up a small business grant program, setting up a hospitality industry support program, spending $2 billion extra on infrastructure and placing a PST exemption on new homes.
If elected, the Sask. Party would set up a tax credit for renovations, reduce power bills by 10 per cent for a year and reduce the small business tax rate to zero per cent for a year.
The goal would be to have balanced budgets by 2024. Harpauer said half of the deficit is one-time only pandemic spending, while the other half is a decrease in revenues.
“That is why this recovery and stimulus for the economy is so important, is to bring those numbers back to where they were pre-pandemic.”
Harpauer said the Sask. Party’s record in education and healthcare has been solid since it got into government in 2007.
“We've just about doubled the funding for operations for K to 12 education. We've built 57 new or replacement schools. We've hired 1,300 more teachers.”
In healthcare, they built new hospitals and new nursing homes, hired 900 more doctors and 3,800 more nurses, and added drugs to the province’s prescription drug program.
Harpauer said while they reduced surgical wait times, they were creeping back up so the province introduced a new surgical wait time initiative to bring that down.
As for infrastructure in the local area, Harpauer pointed to the Humboldt District Hospital renovations, the new Humboldt Collegiate institute, the new Carlton Trail College, investment into St. Peter’s College, upgrades to Highway 27 and Highway 5, and a new school for Lanigan.
She said she’s now working to get federal funds that would complement provincial funds for a new spray park in Lanigan.
“For Humboldt, it's quite a major wastewater lagoon expansion and upgrade that they want to do here. We have submitted that as well,” she said. “That's not as exciting as schools and the hospital but nonetheless for the city, it is very important to get those projects done.”
Harpauer said it's been an honour to represent the area.
“This is where I was raised, so I'm very passionate about this area of the province, as well as the entire province and I humbly ask for that support again for the provincial election 2020.”
