The province of Saskatchewan will be heading into three by-elections this year, and a general election in 2024. However, the Sask Party and the NDP have changed the rules making it more difficult for other parties and individuals to run against them.
Both parties have passed through legislation, that the candidate nomination deposits be increased. This amount was $100 and has now jumped to $500. This is a significant increase. Why did these two parties feel the need to increase the nomination deposit? What are they scared of? This increase has now made it more difficult for smaller parties to run candidates due to the cost alone. This move just goes to show how both parties are only interested in staying in power. To run against them and have other voices heard will now come at a greater price.
The Sask Party and the NDP also want to keep the public in the dark. They are denying the public the right to make informed decisions. They silence the other parties. Both the Sask Party and the NDP want to keep their two-party system going by not having the voices of all parties heard in public and televised leader debates. They want to keep residents of Saskatchewan in the dark. The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan believes in true democracy and transparency. We believe that all parties should have a voice in debates and be able to run candidates without facing financial hardships. The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan also believes that all citizens of Saskatchewan have the right to make informed decisions at elections based on information from all the parties in public and televised debates. It is time to bring democracy back to this province and have the voices of the taxpayer heard.
Rose Buscholl
Interim Leader – Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
Contact pcsask@sasktel.net