REGINA - With just days before polls close on Oct. 28, Scott Moe and the Sask Party held their next-to-last rally of the campaign in Regina on Friday.
The event was similar to the Sask Party rallies staged in Prince Albert on Wednesday and Moose Jaw the day before, this time with Moe standing alongside Regina-area and southern Saskatchewan candidates.
His message in Regina was the same: that the choice was “between the NDP with their record of decline, loss and closure, or you can choose a strong economy for our province and a bright future for our children with the Saskatchewan Party.”
He accused the NDP of “wanting you to forget” a record of closures, high income taxes and property taxes.
“But we remember, and Saskatchewan voters remember, and we don't ever want to go back... We want the province of Saskatchewan to continue to grow. You want our economy to continue to grow. You want our children to stay right here in the Saskatchewan community, then I would say you need to choose the Saskatchewan Party.”
When it opened up to questions from the media, reporters asked Moe what the last stretch of the campaign was like. Moe said it was about candidates “getting out on the doorsteps, talking to identified Saskatchewan Party supporters, and encouraging them to go out to the advance poll today, the advance poll Saturday, or getting out on Monday, and supporting the bright future that we all know, want, and love, and the bright future that is the plan of the Saskatchewan Party.”
When asked if he felt his party has done enough to secure that victory on Monday, Moe called Laura Ross, in a re-election fight in Regina Rochdale, to the podium to answer.
“We are not leaving one stone unturned. I'm sitting down, personalizing, writing letters to each and every person within my constituency that has expressed an interest in supporting the Saskatchewan Party. Well over 2,000 letters,” said Ross.
“But we are not leaving anything behind. We have absolutely incredible volunteers that are out there knocking on doors, talking to people, explaining the benefits of a Saskatchewan Party government, and we are just doing absolutely everything we can to make sure that we have a Saskatchewan Party government.”
Muhammad Fiaz, in a battle to keep his Regina Pasqua seat, spoke of the reaction he got out door-knocking. He pointed to a positive reaction to new schools built in the area.
“When we only drive on the Elphinstone (Street) and they can see there are about three schools that we built on the Elphinstone, and there's one Harbour Landing school, and there's a second one in Harbour Landing, (a) school that's coming up in the next couple of years, and the people are very much satisfied,” said Fiaz.
“You know, there is agreement and there is disagreement. When we have a disagreement and we're walking away, they still call (to) us ‘I'm still going to vote for you.’ Because of the strong economy, more jobs, and the best place on the planet, on this earth to raise a family and do the work.”
Rahul Singh, running in Regina Northeast, said he was told about the importance of going door to door.
“Initially we were so sceptical, and I will not lie to you, I was afraid to go out and door knock, because it's not an easy thing to get volunteers for it as well,” said Singh.
“But, you know, as we started doing it, it was so much fun, and I would like to tell you this, I'm so proud of all my colleagues here, all other fellow candidates,” Singh said.
The mood at Turvey Centre was quiet confidence by the Sask Party that they would be able to hold back the New Democrats and extend their 17-year hold on power when the votes are counted Oct. 28. This, despite claims of momentum from the NDP over the past number of days.
When asked about polls this week suggesting the NDP might be pulling ahead, Moe responded “I agree with John Diefenbaker on polls, and he's very fond of dogs, because dogs know what to do with poles.
“The poll that we're paying attention to is being conducted right now,” said Moe, referring to Voting Week and the final day of voting Oct. 28.
“That’s the poll where Saskatchewan people are going to decide and make the choice on what this province is going to look like with respect to the opportunity for that brighter future that we believe the Saskatchewan Party plan does provide.”
Sarah Wright, facing an uphill fight against NDP Leader Carla Beck in Regina Lakeview, also didn’t place too much stock in polls.
“I'll tell you one thing when it comes to polls, as someone who 338(Canada) has as a one per cent chance of being elected and successful: polls don't vote. Hearts and minds vote,” said Wright.
“The personal connections I've made on those doorsteps have been an honour of a lifetime. And I'm really appreciative for that. So, hearts and minds vote, polls do not.”
Moe responds to the NDP’s issues
There were questions posed from reporters regarding what was happening from the NDP campaign. When asked his reaction to Randy Weekes officially endorsing the NDP, Moe replied “no reaction.”
The question was likely in response to word that Weekes was holding a campaign event for the NDP in Saskatoon, urging undecided voters to vote for them. The NDP also staged an event in the Battlefords Friday in which former Brad Wall advisor Ian Hanna showed up to support the NDP.
Moe was also asked about lingering concerns from voters about health care — an issue the NDP has hammered the Sask Party on during the campaign.
Moe replied that “unlike the NDP, we won't cut health care and we won't make commitments that we're not prepared to keep.” He also pointed to their “record of investment of this party over the last number of years, whether it be into health care infrastructure, Jim Pattison Children's Hospital, hospital being built in Weyburn, a new and improved hospital being built in the community of Prince Albert and the Victoria Hospital there. A number of rural facilities as well.”
Moe was asked again about their change room policy in schools, where biological boys would not be allowed to use change rooms alongside biological girls. Moe reiterated “we've been clear on this with the policy.”
He added that the NDP have “left Saskatchewan folks wondering as to what their policy might be in this space. So I would encourage you to ask the Leader of the Opposition or one of your candidates what their policy is.”
While Moe was in Regina Friday, Carla Beck was down the road at the Co-op Refinery receiving the endorsement from UNIFOR as well as from the Saskatchewan Building Trades, for Beck’s “Hire Saskatchewan” plan.
Other events were also staged by the NDP across the province including in Saskatoon, Yorkton and Prince Albert.
