There is really no getting around the fact that 2011 was not a great year in the long and and storied history of Saskatchewan's New Democratic Party.
Hamstrung by an unpopular leader in Dwain Lingenfelter and the soaring popularity of Premier Brad Wall, the NDP were routed in November's election, winning just nine seats which was the party's worst showing in almost 30 years.
Shortly after the election blowout, Lingenfelter resigned and the NDP turned to veteran MLA John Nilson to lead the party until they select a new leader, a process that is expected to take place later this year. The NDP caucus recently wrapped up the fall session of the legislature and although they were lacking in numbers, Nilson said he was pleased with how they were able to still present a solid opposition to the government.
In a year-end interview, Nilson said he went in with some trepidation but came away confident the NDP would be a strong voice until the next election.
Nilson added that the party also continued to present issues that are of concern to Saskatchewan people, notably health care and affordability of living in the province.
He said health care is the most important issue in Saskatchewan and they remain concerned with steps taken by the government including the addition of private surgery clinics to help shorten wait lists. Nilson said had the Sask. Party not killed the NDP plan to build a surgery clinic in 2007, the hiring of private firms and the subsequent controversies could have been avoided.
Nilson said the NDP was also at the forefront of raising alarm bells about the rising cost of living in Saskatchewan and the lack of affordable housing, both of which are significant issues in Estevan and the southeast. The NDP were also pushing the idea of rent control for the province which has long been a contentious issue.
"We suggested that Saskatchewan implement the type of rent control that 80 per cent of Canadians have," said Nilson. "B.C., Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec have systems that have developed mechanisms for landlords to increase rent, but do it in a way that is fair and follows rules and is explainable to everybody.
"Renters are saying my rent goes up, utilities go up, food prices go up and I am on a fixed income, especially our seniors who are in a position where they have no flexibility."
Nilson said another area of concern remains the health of the province's Crown corporations. The NDP have long accused the Sask. Party of stripping the dividends out of companies such as SaskPower and SaskTel and because of that, service has declined, in particular at SaskTel where the number of dropped calls was recently mentioned by the premier.
"The provincial auditor said you might show that that way, but that is not the way any other province except one does it. Why don't you use the Canadian standards of accounting and show us that you are really operating at a deficit? Because they took all the money from SaskTel they were unable to do all the orderly capital enhancements they needed and we have a lot more dropped calls on the phone network."
Nilson said the NDP are also concerned about the handling of SaskPower, in particular the proposed power plant for the Battlefords area.
"This government has entered into a contract with an Ontario company to build a power plant up by North Battleford. They still haven't told us what the terms of the contract are and we as shareholders and customers of SaskPower still don't know how much that power is going to cost. We know how much the power costs when it comes from Boundary Dam and that should be the kind of information all of Saskatchewan residents receive."
As for the future of the NDP, Nilson said the party has been conducting a policy review for the past couple of years and will take that review and the results of the election to make recommendations.
He said setting a date has been complicated somewhat by the ongoing federal NDP leadership race but it is likely they will hold theirs after. Nilson added that although this is a downtime for the party, it can also be one of renewal.
"It is a time when you go and visit with the people involved with the last election and those who have not been involved with the party and the public. That is part of what I have been doing and I know my colleagues here in the legislature are doing that.
"Our goal as a party is to set out a long-term vision for the province."
