Here's what happened at the Saskatchewan leaders' debate

The sole debate for the 2024 provincial election has wrapped – with both sides satisfied that they’ve successfully made their respective cases on the debate stage.

“I’d say if there is a winner tonight, it’d be the Saskatchewan people. Because they had a better opportunity to understand the platforms that the Saskatchewan Party and the NDP are putting forward,” Scott Moe told reporters immediately following the debate.

“There were a number of things we wanted to make clear, the investments in healthcare and education. The fact that we know Saskatchewan people need relief and they need relief now,” Beck explained.

“All in all, it was a good debate, it went quickly and I was very happy to have the opportunity for Saskatchewan people to see the debate.”

Wednesday night marked Scott Moe’s second leaders’ debate and Carla Beck’s first.

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Moe’s deflection tactics were steady throughout the 55 minutes of discussion and arguments.

Focusing on offence, Moe tried his best to paint Beck and the NDP as the federal New Democrats choice for the province and dredge up criticisms of the last NDP government in Saskatchewan – both familiar lines from the Sask. Party’s numerous attack ads this election season.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe listens to a reporter's question immediately following the 2024 Leaders' Debate. (David Prisciak/CTV News)

Beck attempted to hammer home the idea of change – presenting herself and the party as the clear choice for government after 17 years of a Saskatchewan Party majority.

At times, both leaders verbally sparred and interrupted one another on a whole host of issues.

The two party’s platforms remain far apart. The NDP touts a $3.65 billion plan to stabilize healthcare and education while providing affordability relief.

The Saskatchewan Party’s more fiscally conservative platform includes $1.2 billion in promises over four years.

“We put forward a platform, which three quarters of it are tax reductions, which is going to leave more money in the pockets of Saskatchewan people for them to spend,” Moe explained.

The two leaders were asked a range of eight questions from a panel of four journalists representing CTV, CBC, Global, and Postmedia.

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck listens to reporters following the 2024 Leaders' Debate. (David Prisciak/CTV News)

Healthcare

Question: Healthcare has been a major campaign issue. I'd like to know how your plan for healthcare is better than your opponent’s.

A major pillar of the NDP's platform, the party has committed to spending $1.1 billion towards healthcare. On the debate stage, Beck spared no time accusing Moe and his government of inaction on the issue.

“Let's be clear, our healthcare system is broken. Scott Moe and the Sask Party broke it. They can't be trusted to fix it,” she said.

Moe argued that the province is not in a vacuum and that nationally, shortages of healthcare workers is common, while defending his government’s record.

“All due respect, when it comes to hiring physicians and nurses [there’s] about 800 more physicians and nurses alone, never mind the other healthcare professionals that are working in our healthcare system today,” he outlined.

“Eighteen hundred nurses have been hired in the last 18 months.”

Beck was quick to respond.

“Let’s look at your record. You're talking about how many you've hired. You're not talking about the fact that 4,000 healthcare workers in this province left last year alone,” she said.

“I don't have a magic wand, but we do have a plan that invests in the valuable healthcare workers that we need in this province.”

Education

Question: Over the last year, we've heard repeated concerns about class size and complexity, overcrowding, the pronoun policy and now seeing increasing violence in schools. How are you going to create a safe learning environment for students in the public school system?

Another focal point of the NDP’s platform – the party has committed $2 billion over four years to address class size and complexity concerns.

Beck argued that the Sask Party has stood by record immigration while failing to account for it in the education system.

“We've seen 15,000 additional students in our schools, but only one teacher,” she explained.

“After 17 years they have shown us time and time again how little they care about public education.”

In defense, Moe pointed to schools currently being constructed and vowed to increase funding to ensure proper English as a Second Language (EAL) and other supports are available for students and families.

Beck was blunt in her response.

“Kids in Grade 12 today have only known cuts because of your underfunding of the education system. It's ridiculous,” she expressed.

“You cannot drive where you need to go if you keep looking in the rearview mirror, Mr. Moe.”

Affordability

Question: The costs of everything seems to be going up, from gas to groceries to rent. What are you proposing to do to deal with affordability concerns in the first year of your mandate?

Moe fiercely defended the province’s economic record and its efforts in making life more affordable – citing the carbon tax exemption, increases to the graduate retention program and planned tax reductions.

“It is a platform that most certainly is increasing benefits and lowering taxes for students, for seniors, for homeowners, for families and for everyone that lives in this province,” Moe explained.

Beck countered by saying on doorstep after doorstep, residents have told her candidates that affordability is still a serious issue in the province and attacked the Sask Party’s record.

“I hear from parents who are worried that they're going to be able to put their kids in dance or in hockey this fall because of the cost of living in this province,” she said.

“The reality is, Scott Moe has done nothing before tonight to offer any affordability relief. In fact he’s made things worse, he raised taxes 31 times in one year.”

The NDP’s affordability plan consists of removing the PST on groceries and children’s clothes, a “Rental Rate Protection Act,” a school nutrition program and a pause on the provincial gas tax.

Moe countered by outlining his party’s income tax reduction plan – touted as the largest since 2008.

“Which was the last time we removed 112,000 people off the income tax roll,” he explained. “Saskatchewan will remain the most affordable place to live in Canada. That's the goal of the Saskatchewan Party.”

The Cost

Question: You both brand the other as being fiscally irresponsible. My final question of this evening is simple: How can the people of Saskatchewan afford either of your plans without falling further into debt?

A recurring topic throughout the night’s arguments were cost – namely how each party will pay for their proposed platforms.

Moe repeatedly attacked the costing of the NDP's platform, even going as far as claiming there was a “$3 billion gaping hole” in it.

“That is not the Saskatchewan party's record. That is the NDP record, a record of decline, loss and closures, back to increased taxes,” he argued.

Beck fought back by arguing that Moe has added more debt than any previous premier – while overseeing crisis in both healthcare and education.

“He's done it in a record six years. Our plan is fully costed,” she responded.

“It's going to take us four years to get there, but we're going to balance the budget at the end of four years, because the reality is we can't afford not to make these investments in healthcare and education.”

Looking specifically at the NDP’s education promises – Moe criticized that the party’s platform only outlined $800 million of investment.

Beck fired back with a clarification.

“It's accrual. It's $200 million the first year, then add 200 million the next year, and so on and so on. It's fully accounted for,” she said.

“It's no wonder you can't balance a budget, and it's no wonder that kids in our province are not getting the education that they need.”

Election Day in sight

The leaders’ debate marks the beginning of the end for election season in Saskatchewan.

Candidates from the province’s seven registered parties have less than two weeks left in the campaign period.

Voting week begins Tuesday, Oct. 22 and will run straight through (with the exception of Oct. 27) to election day on Oct. 28.