RM OF CORMAN PARK — With his career in provincial politics now definitively over, incoming RM of Corman Park reeve Joe Hargrave says he is eager to apply his experience and provincial connections to serve the municipality.
“I’m looking forward to getting down to the job and working with the new council for the betterment of Corman Park,” said Hargrave.
“This is a great RM. It’s a great, diverse community.”
Back in May, Hargrave announced he would not be seeking re-election as the MLA for Prince Albert-Carlton, a role in which he had served for roughly eight years.
Upon his election, he was quickly named to the executive council of Saskatchewan as the Minister of Crown Corporations, though he also oversaw SGI, the Saskatchewan Transportation Company and served as the Minister of Highways.
In interviews with other media, Hargrave indicated his age and a desire to spend more time with family as his reasons for not seeking re-election.
So why, then, put his name forward as reeve of Corman Park?
Hargrave said he believes firmly that to make a difference, one has to be involved, and the position of reeve is one where “I think I can bring my experience to help.”
He said he was also approached by a number of people about stepping into the role, including Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark.
While the Oct. 28 election did bring a lot of changes to the Legislature, such as reducing the Saskatchewan Party’s majority to 34 seats, Hargrave said he always got along with both sides of the aisle, noting that NDP leader Carla Beck had been his critic for most of his time as Minister.
“She and I worked collaboratively on a number of things,” he said.
While his connections don’t necessarily translate into favours, Hargrave said it helps to know all the players and how to converse with them.
“I know who you are, and it’s just a little easier to have a conversation with the right person,” he said.
Hargrave was acclaimed as reeve, which he admitted came as a bit of a surprise. However, after speaking to some of the people he believed were going to run, they stated his experience would be the most beneficial to the RM.
When asked about the challenges facing Corman Park, Hargrave said it mostly relates to growth and how best to manage it.
“We’ve just got to make sure it’s all done properly. And that’s sort of my goal: to make sure that council works as one for the benefit of the whole RM, not just each individual division.”
Hargrave acknowledged he has already been approached by several individuals and groups with issues they would like to see addressed, but as he’s tried to point out, he isn’t the reeve until he’s sworn in.
As such, until he’s had a chance to sit down and review some of the information that he wouldn’t be privy to as a member of the public, “I can’t have many answers to a lot of those questions that the people were asking,” he said.
“I’m still new. I’m figuring things out.”
