Much like the rest of her party, Doreen Eagles came up big in Monday's provincial election.
The incumbent MLA for the Estevan Constituency retained her seat after capturing an impressive 79 per cent of the vote, one of the largest percentages in the entire province.
Eagles' Sask. Party had equally impressive results, storming to a massive majority after capturing 49 out of 58 seats and decimating the opposition NDP which had its worst showing in an election since the early 1980s when the party was routed by the Grant Devine led Progressive Conservatives.
Although she was the overwhelming favourite, Eagles said she went into election day full of nerves. Her worries proved to be unfounded as it took just three polls to show that she would cruise to her fourth victory. She would go on to win 56 of 57 polls in the constituency.
"I wrote two speeches and I am really glad I don't have to use this one," Eagles told her throng of supporters who packed into the Taylorton Room at the Days Inn. "I wasn't going to take anything for granted."
Just as it became obvious early in the evening that Eagles would keep her seat, it was clear the evening was going to be a memorable one for the Sask. Party. It took just 18 minutes for the first TV station to declare a Sask. Party majority government, which led to the first of many loud cheers at Eagles' party.
With another majority in the bag, the attention of many at Eagles' party and throughout the province was focused on how big the Sask. Party lead would be and which veteran NDP MLAs would keep their seats.
The majority turned out to be one of the largest in history and a number of NDP stalwarts did eventually go down to defeat, most notably leader Dwain Lingenfelter who was defeated by Russ Marchuk in Regina's Douglas Park Constituency. Not surprisingly the demise of Lingenfelter, who resigned shortly after the loss, drew the biggest cheer of the evening.
"What we have seen on TV tonight is that Premier Wall and the Sask. Party team are on the right track," Eagles said. "We didn't go on a wild spending spree with the taxpayers' credit card. The promises we made are promises that can be kept within a balanced budget framework."
While speaking to the media after her address to supporters, Eagles said she is overwhelmed by the support shown to her by voters and is looking forward to another four years.
"This is absolutely amazing," she said. "We worked hard. We door knocked; we didn't get as much done in Estevan as we wanted, but we did every small town and village in this constituency. It was a ton of work but it paid off."
Eagles said the NDP's insistence that it would conduct a review of energy royalties was a huge reason for their downfall not only provincially but also in the Estevan Constituency.
"That just leads to people not wanting to invest in that industry. In the last quarter, Potash Corp. netted $740 million and invested $590 million of it back into the economy of Saskatchewan. That is pretty amazing and to fool around with those royalty rates would be absolutely devastating, especially in this community because I know Mr. Lingenfelter, when he was in this area, it was just about potash but when he was in different areas of the province it was about all resources, they were all on the line."
As for what the next four years might hold for Eagles and her party, she said the focus will be on living up to the promises in their platform.
"I can remember the first caucus meeting after the 2007 win, the premier said 'folks, when we come back in four years, I want a check mark by everyone of those promises and there was.
"That is what it is going to be. We are going to work to keep those promises', the people of the province have entrusted us and we have to keep our word."
Eagles said the first order of business for the much larger, Sask. Party caucus is a meeting Wednesday morning in Regina.
