SOUTHEAST SASKATCHEWAN - Steven Bonk hopes the Souris-Moose Mountain constituency will continue to be held by the Conservative Party after the April 28 federal election.
Bonk is the party's candidate for the vote. This marks his first foray into federal politics, but he was the MLA for the Moosomin constituency from 2016-2024, and won the Conservative Party's nomination last August.
Since that time, he wrapped up his duties as Moosomin's MLA and started to get to know the vast Souris-Moose Mountain riding, which now encompasses more than 54,000 square kilometres after the addition of the Assiniboia area to the constituency.
"I've been getting to know the people, getting to know the concerns of people out there, and getting ready for the election," said Bonk.
Since the election was called on March 23, Bonk has been working to get his campaign signs out. He filed his nomination papers for the election and had a couple of meet and greets in southeast communities.
Bonk was expecting Mark Carney of the Liberal Party to call the election shortly after Carney became prime minister.
"There had been rumours for a long time that it was going to be called after the Liberal leadership [race]. I was actually prepared for it to happen a week earlier," said Bonk.
He will have just one campaign office in Moosomin, but he says his primary office will be his vehicle. Bonk vowed he would be travelling throughout the constituency, and his campaign manager would tend to the office in Moosomin.
Bonk said he would be sharing the values of the Conservative Party over the next few weeks, and articulated the Tories' slogan to "axe the [carbon] tax, control the budget and stop the crime."
"These are messages that Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party, has been promoting for a long time, and they're really resonating with the constituents of Souris-Moose Mountain," said Bonk.
As for what it will take for the Tories to topple the Liberals on election day, Bonk said they need to articulate the same values.
"I know that one way we can help here in Souris-Moose Mountain is to just export our good values of common sense and hard work, and just try to help the rest of Canada see the vision of the Conservatives will help move this country forward."
As for relations with the U.S., Bonk hopes that the rhetoric, the talk of tariffs, the trade war and U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for Canada to become the 51st state will simmer down.
Bonk noted he was the minster of Economy for Saskatchewan during the negotiations for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade pact after Trump was elected for the first time.
"I remember Trump, at the time, saying it was the best trade deal ever made. Hopefully, calmer heads will prevail and we can get back to trading with neighbours and friends in the U.S.," said Bonk.
Tariffs are a zero-sum game, Bonk said.
A meet and greet will happen with Bonk on April 11 at the Estevan Days Inn, starting at 5:30 p.m. He also hopes to have Poilievre in the constituency during the campaign. The Tory leader has been in the riding multiple times in recent years.
Two other candidates have been confirmed in Souris-Moose Mountain: Remi Rheault (Green Party of Canada) and Hannah Raketti (People's Party of Canada). The New Democratic Party and Liberal Party have yet to announce anyone for the riding. Incumbent Robert Kitchen, who was the MP since 2015, previously announced he wouldn't seek another term.
The Tories have won Souris-Moose Mountain each of the past seven elections, while right-wing parties have taken the riding the past nine elections overall.
