No Clear Winner in Saskatchewan’s Leaders’ Debate

Party leaders’ televised debates in Canadian elections are often as overhyped as a heavyweight title fight. Pre-debate, the media is filled with talk of leaders “squaring off” and the potential “a knock-out punch” that will change political history.  

But history has shown that’s rarely the case. Most often, debates simply reinforce existing political opinion and support; in the parlance of U.S. politics, they are mostly “tribal.”  

And the 2024 Saskatchewan leaders’ debate was no exception.  

Last night, Saskatchewan Party Leader and Premier, Scott Moe and Saskatchewan New Democratic Party Leader, Carla Beck appeared in the rotunda of the provincial legislature for the only televised debate before the October 28th provincial election.  

But after a relatively tame hour of mostly rehearsed lines, lists and proof points, there was certainly no political game-changing moment and both leaders likely left the legislature believing they had achieved their respective goals.  

It was no surprise that Beck, in her first leaders’ debate, led off with an indictment of the Moe government saying, “Scott Moe and the Sask Party have taken us from leaders to laggards on issue after issue. And Saskatchewan people are looking for change.” 

Premier Moe responded, “I’m so proud of our province and all that we have been able to achieve together. We have come so far since the dark days of decline, loss, and closure under the NDP.”  

As expected, Moe focussed on issues that support his campaign theme of strong economic stewardship of the province’s resource economy along with standing against federal government policies like the “Trudeau Carbon Tax.”     

For Beck, she talked about pocket-book issues and health care, all framed to support her campaign narrative that “it’s time for a change.” 

Here’s arguably the most heated exchange in an otherwise tepid debate:  

Beck: “Our plan is to attract investment in all sectors of the economy, in all corners of the province, to get our downtowns, our main streets thriving again, to increase small businesses, offering start-up loans… to ensure that all sectors in this economy are thriving and the benefits, the amazing opportunity, is available to all the people in this province, not just the select few.  

Moe: 17,000 people getting a job this past year is not a select few. That’s creating a job every 30 minutes –  

Beck: – We have record food bank usage. We have the lowest minimum wage in the country. 

Moe: I would say under the NDP, there was also a job created every 30 minutes under the NDP but the challenge was it was in Alberta and our children had to move there.  

Beck: People are getting very tired of you talking about 17 years ago.”  

As discussed in Counsel’s earlier Saskatchewan election post, the few most recent public opinion polls underscore the stark political divide between rural and urban Saskatchewan voters. Together, Regina and Saskatoon are home to 26 of the province’s 61 constituencies with the remaining 35 seats spread across the rest of the province.  

The NDP is projected to pick up several – perhaps even make a clean sweep – of Regina’s 12 seats; and the Saskatchewan Party will continue to dominate the province’s rural areas. That leaves Saskatoon as the most competitive battleground over the next two weeks, where there are several seats still too close to call. 

While not present in last night’s Saskatchewan leaders’ debate, a new alternative party on the right has also emerged. The Saskatchewan United Party – a rural, right-wing, populist party, borne out of protest to Covid-19 measures and restrictions – could impact the right-of-centre vote in 29 constituencies.  

It is also worth noting there are four other smaller political parties that are not expected to have any meaningful impact: the Saskatchewan Green Party, the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, the separatist Buffalo Party, and the Saskatchewan Progress Party (formerly the Saskatchewan Liberal Party).

Counsel will continue to track all the major news and events of the Saskatchewan election until all the ballots are counted – and beyond. Please reach out to a member of our team should you have any specific policy topics of interest.