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Moe promises to keep the carbon tax off home heating for another year

Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party are continuing to roll out policy as we surpass the halfway point of the provincial election campaign.

Moe said on Tuesday that a re-elected Saskatchewan Party government would extend the exemption from the Trudeau-NDP carbon tax on natural gas and electricity used for home heating.

The initial exemption on natural gas was from January 1 to December 31, 2024 and the exemption on electricity used for home heating was from January 1 to April 30, 2024. Moe said the natural gas exemption will be extended for another year until the end of 2025 while the electricity exemption will be in place during the cold weather months, from November 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025.

On social media, Moe said, “The NDP supports the Trudeau carbon tax that makes everything more expensive for everyone.” The Saskatchewan NDP voted with the government in favour of the Carbon Tax Fairness for Families Act last December.

Moe and the Saskatchewan Party team did not hold any official campaign events yesterday, presumably with Moe in debate preparation.

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Beck pledges 800 more health care workers as Sask. Party attacks candidate in Estevan

NDP leader Carla Beck is continuing to campaign on the issue of health care in Saskatchewan.

The NDP leader pledged that an NDP government would hire 800 new front-line healthcare workers over four years if her party wins the election. Beck said those positions would be filled by staff in areas that are of highest need, as the province sees long waits for emergencies, surgeries and family doctors. Earlier in the campaign, Beck promised $1.1 billion in funding for health care.

Beck said, “We’re also going to end the culture of fear amongst healthcare workers, we’re going to take steps to prevent worker burnout in the province and to ensure safe staffing levels with the tools they need.”

Beck spoke with Kayla Diecs, who was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer this summer. Diecs said she needed to travel to Alberta for a screening, costing her $2,000 out of pocket due to lack of availability here. Diecs said, “If I had trusted the Saskatchewan health-care system, I wouldn’t be alive to make that appointment. Mine was scheduled for February 2025.… I would still not be diagnosed today.”

Sask. Party attacks NDP candidate in Estevan-Big Muddy

The Saskatchewan Party is criticizing Estevan-Big Muddy NDP candidate Phil Smith, a musician who the Sask. Party said “is known for misogynistic, pro-drugs and pro-crime lyrics.” 

“Either Carla Beck and the NDP completely failed to do basic vetting on Phil Smith or the NDP are comfortable with his misogynistic, pro-drugs and pro-crime lyrics,” the Sask Party release stated. “Carla Beck owes the people of Saskatchewan an answer.”

Beck responded at an event in Regina, “I wasn’t aware of that,” said Beck about the accusations, adding “Song lyrics are one thing. Getting caught up in a sex trafficking sting, or having assault charges for choking or assault, those are another thing.” Beck was referencing former Saskatchewan Party MLAs Ryan Domotor and Greg Lawrence.

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The SKoop SPECIAL: How party leaders and their teams prepare for debates

As Scott Moe and Carla Beck get set to face off tomorrow night in the televised leader’s debate, their debate prep teams will have left no stone unturned, readying them for the high-pressure spotlight of Saskatchewan’s most anticipated political event. The SKoop spoke with two campaign veterans - Graham Stewart, Partner at Canadian Strategy Group, and Mélanie Richer, Principal at Earnscliffe Strategies - about how the leaders and their teams may be preparing for the signature event of the provincial election campaign.

Preparing for Unpredictable Moments

According to Stewart, one of the most crucial aspects of debate prep is getting leaders ready for the unpredictable. "That’s all part of the prep," Stewart explained. "You go through those scenarios where it might be a pressure situation." Leaders must not only master the policies they will discuss but also anticipate unexpected attacks, personal critiques, or tough questions.

The mock debate process is critical in ensuring leaders are prepared for whatever might come their way. "You usually find somebody to debate against as you’re prepping," Stewart said. The objective is to mimic the intensity of the real debate, where opponents are not afraid to challenge every point. "You want to replicate what it’s going to be like when the lights are on and the cameras are running."

Leaders who want to succeed on the debate stage must know how to adapt in real-time, Stewart added. "Everybody’s got a plan until you get punched in the face," he said, pointing out that mental readiness is just as important as having well-prepared talking points. Being able to think on your feet and handle unexpected attacks is what can make or break a debate performance.

Opposition Leaders’ Balancing Act

For opposition leaders, like Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck, debates offer a unique opportunity to define themselves and their platforms. But this can be challenging, as Richer explained. "The debate really is an opportunity for her to reach out to people across the province, to tell them who she is, but also to tell them what she cares about and what she's going to fight for."

One of the main obstacles opposition leaders face, Richer noted, is transitioning from being a critic of the government to showing themselves as ready to lead. "You get so used to opposing... that’s easy for you to do in a debate, but that’s actually the opposite of what you need to do," she explained. Richer emphasized that while it’s important for opposition leaders to critique the current administration, they must also present a clear, positive vision of what they would do differently if elected. For someone like Beck, that means showing Saskatchewan voters not just what she opposes, but how she would govern.

Richer added that opposition leaders often put significant weight on their opening and closing statements. "Parties usually focus so much on the opening statement and the closing statement because that really is your opportunity to tell people directly what your plan is and what you’re going to do for them," she said. These key moments can define how voters see the leader, so honing them is essential.

The Mental and Physical Preparation

While policy and strategy are critical, there’s also a physical and mental aspect to debate prep that might surprise some. Richer shared an example from her past experience, recalling how a leader’s energy and focus must be sustained throughout long prep sessions. "We did a lot of on-the-floor stretches and weird, you know, hotel conference room exercises, getting the heart rate up," she said. Keeping the leader’s physical energy up is a key part of maintaining mental sharpness in these grueling preparation sessions.

Stewart also hinted at the mental toll debate prep can take. Leaders need to be in the right mindset to face tough questions under the hot glare of stage lights. "It’s about how you’re going to react... you’ve got to be prepared for those situations," he explained, underscoring the importance of resilience in the face of difficult or unexpected challenges.

The Role of Visual Presentation

Beyond policy and rhetoric, appearance plays a significant role in how leaders are perceived during debates, and both Stewart and Richer acknowledged its importance. While Stewart admitted that appearance might not be something leaders focus on directly, he acknowledged that "there’s definitely other people that think of those things." Decisions about what a leader will wear and how they present themselves visually are often left to senior staff or even the leader’s partner. 

Richer, who has worked closely with female leaders on their visual presentation, explained how women, in particular, face additional scrutiny. "With (former Ontario NDP leader) Andrea Horwath, it was more complicated... as women, we just have different expectations in how we dress and how we show that we are leaders," she said. For women leaders, the stakes can be higher when it comes to balancing appearance with authority. Richer recalled a situation where multiple tailored jackets for Horwath had to be scrapped because they didn’t work. "None of them worked, so we had to get rid of all three of these tailored jackets," she added, pointing to the complexity of wardrobe choices for female politicians.

Honesty in the Prep Room

Finally, one of the most important elements of debate prep is the relationship between the leader and their team. Richer noted how crucial it is for staff to be honest with the leader during rehearsals. Richer explained how she handled feedback delicately but directly. "I wouldn’t be like, 'Wow, that was the worst thing I’ve ever heard,' but I would say, 'Let’s try it again.'" For opposition leaders like Beck, having staff who can be honest without tearing down confidence is key to delivering a strong performance. "It’s about building trust and helping the leader get better without making them feel like they’re not capable," Richer said.

As Saskatchewan’s leaders gear up for the upcoming debate, it’s clear that the preparation goes far beyond talking points and sound bites. From scenario planning to visual presentation, every aspect is carefully considered, ensuring that when the lights come on, these leaders are ready for the toughest challenges on the debate stage.  

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Elections Saskatchewan spends big to reach Saskatchewan voters

Last week in The SKoop we covered how much parties have been spending on digital advertising since the start of the writ period on October 1. In that story we noted that Elections Saskatchewan, the agency led by Dr. Michael Boda that’s charged with administering Saskatchewan elections, had spent about $40,000 on Facebook and Instagram ads over the past 90 days.

After that story, Tim Kydd, Senior Director for Outreach and Communications for Election Saskatchewan, emailed The SKoop with more details on Elections Saskatchewan’s advertising activities leading up to election day. Kydd said that Elections Saskatchewan has spent about $180,000 to date on voter registration and vote by mail media campaigns.

“Our organizational focus remains removing barriers to voting” said Kydd in the email. “We do this in many ways, such as expanding voting options like vote by mail, more hours of voting during Voting Week, and producing our voters guide and posters in multiple languages.”

“We also remove barriers by getting our messages out to voters through paid and earned media to ensure they know when and what they need to do to vote.”

Kydd said that in addition to advertising on traditional media like radio and daily/weekly/monthly newspapers, Elections Saskatchewan has also been advertising on Snapchat, YouTube, billboards, bus stops, movie theatres, and post-secondary campuses.

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Candidate profiles published for municipal campaign in Saskatoon

Municipal elections will be held across the province on November 13. Saskatchewan’s largest urban centre of Saskatoon is on track to see large turnover, with the a majority of council not seeking re-election, including the Mayor.

Last week, The SKoop published the 11 candidates running for Mayor of Regina. In Saskatoon, there will be half as many. Incumbent Mayor Charlie Clark will not be seeking a third term and the mayoral race has been a steady battle between top contenders Cynthia Block and Gordon Wyant. Wyant is a former City Councillor, MLA, and Attorney General. Block is an incumbent City Councillor and former broadcaster.

Other Mayoral candidates include past Mayor Don Atchison, Cary Tarasoff, and Mike Harder.

Ward 1: Incumbent Councillor Darren Hill will face four challengers; Kevin Boychuk, Dallas Burnett, Kathryn McDonald, and Russel Nadin.

Ward 2: With no incumbent, it will be a tight battle between six candidates. Senos Timon, Fraser Kent, Franklin Arthurs, Karen Kobussen, Jean Beliveau, and Janna Horn will all be on the ballot.

Ward 3: This ward also has no incumbent. Robert Pearce, Mike San Miguel, and Devyn Gregoire are the three candidates.

Ward 4: Incumbent Councillor Troy Davies will face two challengers, Courtney Saliken and Numaan Shafqat.

Ward 5: In what will be the most-contested race this Ward has seen in years, incumbent Councillor Randy Donauer will face four challengers, Tyler Knihnitski, David Prokopchuk, Nick Prytula, and Kyla Kitzul.

Ward 6: There is no incumbent in this Ward, leaving an open race between Jasmin Parker, Terry Hoknes, Terry Alm, Jon Naylor, and Tony Bassett.

Ward 7: Ward 7 is another Ward with no current councillor, leaving Justin Wiens, Holly Kelleher, Edward Agbai, and Jamie Kirkpatrick on the ballot.

Ward 8: This is the most hotly-contested race in the city with eight individuals putting their names forward with no incumbent councillor. Scott Ford, Malvina Rapko, Henry Tsz Lok Chan, Kevin Zarycki, Peggy Schmeiser, Prathamesh Kale, Ron Mantyka, and Darren Abrey on the ballot.

Ward 9: Councillor Bev Dubois has been acclaimed.

Ward 10: Councillor Zach Jeffries has been acclaimed.

All of the candidate profiles can be viewed here.

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More news and info

• Play Buzzword Bingo During the Saskatchewan Leader’s Debate (CKOM News)

• Emerging Conservatives compete with ‘NDP machine’ to get vote out (Northern Beat)

• 🏠 7 in 10 Saskatchewan voters think housing should be a top priority for elected officials. That is why Saskatchewan’s Housing Leaders have launched Secure Homes, Strong Future­ – a housing policy blueprint for Saskatchewan ahead of the 2024 provincial election. Built on grassroots consultation and expert insight, this plan provides common sense ideas that will improve affordability, unlock development, lower construction costs and build more homes faster. Click here to learn more.*

• Why Canada and India Expelled Each Other’s Top Diplomats (Foreign Policy)

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2024 Election Candidate Tracker