August 26, 2024 | Advertise with us

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CUPE targets Prince Albert Mayor with new ad campaign

CUPE Saskatchewan is currently running five different ads on Meta platforms related to the upcoming municipal election in Prince Albert.

All five surveys end with the same call to action, encouraging the viewer to take a survey. The five ads target different issues including the new ‘over budget’ arena, out of control spending, crime, being proud of city employees, and shaping the future of the city. The ads began on August 14. Last week, CUPE spent $1,042 on digital ads.

One ad directly highlights incumbent Mayor Greg Dionne. The ad highlights how the new arena project will be over budget and features an image of City Hall with Dionne speaking. Question marks line the top of the image

It’s clear that palpable rifts between Dionne and labour groups have not died down. Last year the Mayor drove his pickup truck through a CUPE picket line of striking city employees. The union is not endorsing the only other candidate in the race, Bill Powalinsky, however many of the ads target the incumbent.

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Learn more about the great work the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and its members are doing at saskheavy.ca.

Angus Reid polling shows voter perceptions of Moe and Beck

Angus Reid has released a new round of polling data providing a deep dive into Saskatchewan voter intentions ahead of the provincial election.

Last week we discussed the horse race. Today, we are taking a look at how the impressions of Premier Scott Moe and Saskatchewan NDP leader Carla Beck have shifted in the past month. According to the polling, the opinion of both leaders has dropped a lot in the past month (-16 points for Moe, and -13 for Beck).

The question specifically asked people the question in the context of what they have seen, read, and heard, which could include news stories, advertising, social media, and personal conversations. On the advertising front, the Saskatchewan Party has spent twice as much on Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram) than all NDP-friendly ads in the last month. The NDP has not directly spent on any Meta ads in the past 30 days.

Both parties currently have billboards up in the big cities, but in differing ways: the Saskatchewan Party is featuring Moe on bilboards in Saskatoon and Regina, which are paid for by party funds. The NDP have digital billboards up featuring their MLAs and Beck, but those ads are paid for by their caucus or constituency budgets.

Overall, both leaders have negative impressions in places where they are already unpopular. The question remains if either of them will be able to change those perceptions ahead of this fall’s vote.

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Mayoral candidates position themselves on crime and homelessness

The issue of homelessness and the location of the Fairhaven Shelter in Saskatoon remains a contentious issue for this fall’s municipal election.

Mayoral candidate Don Atchison said the shelter in Fairhaven should not exist at all. In response, Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said, "For Don Atchison to say it's got to be shut down completely, he's never talked to me," Arcand said. "So that's pretty disrespectful to make those comments when he's never been in the trenches of homelessness, I don't support Don Atchison."

Atchison said he has a ‘unique approach’ for solving homelessness, but according to CBC he declined to share his alternatives because other candidates might copy him.

Cary Tarasoff said that shelters should not be located in residential neighbourhoods.

Last week, Gordon Wyant announced his plan to expand policing and his pledge to relocate the shelter. Taking a political swing at Cynthia Block, Wyant said that the time for a task force and discussions is over and Saskatoon needs action.

Block told the media that the location of the shelter and the funding of supports is in provincial jurisdiction. "He has the power to change it right now. And why not get to work now?" Block said. "Why do we have to make this a mayoral issue? He literally is a sitting member of the Sask. Party." She continued saying, "Every jurisdiction understands that you must place sheltering of people who are unhoused in areas where there's transit and where they have access to social services. So I don't know how we do that in the North Industrial area." 

The SKoop will continue to cover the municipal election leading up to the November 13 vote.

More news and info

• Canadian residents face the longest waits in the world for U.S. visas (CBC News)

• Biden speaks with Netanyahu as US prods Israel and Hamas to come to agreement on cease-fire deal (Canadian Press)

• As Trudeau cabinet meets, Liberal MPs look for signs of change following byelection loss (CBC News)

• Labour board orders rail workers back on the job, as Teamsters vow to appeal (Canadian Press)

2024 Election Candidate Tracker