'Hope was a word we heard a lot': Sask. NDP hold convention, Beck receives 94% approval

Members of the Saskatchewan NDP are unified behind Carla Beck — as the leader enjoyed a 94 per cent approval rating at the party’s latest convention.

The three-day affair wrapped up on Sunday at Regina’s Queensbury Convention Centre.

The convention was host to the largest growth in new members in party history, with many feeling positive about the direction the party has taken.

“Hope was a word we heard a lot this weekend,” Beck told CTV News.

“We are very serious about doing our job as the Official Opposition. But we’re not here for second place. We are serious about forming government,” she added.

Besides the NDP members from across Saskatchewan that attended, a number of groups and organizations came to speak at the conference including the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF).

Issues with Saskatchewan’s education system were discussed as one of the party's major focuses during the convention.

Education Critic Matt Love says in the past decade, student enrollment has increased by nearly 20,000 students, while the number of educators has decreased.

This week, STF members voted overwhelmingly in favor of potential job sanctions because of a number of issues, including overcrowding of classrooms and a lack of resources.

“We’ve seen needs go up in terms of the number of students who are new to English we have few teachers to support them,” Love explained. “Mental health supports are nowhere to be seen.”

The convention comes after a recent poll by Insightrix showed a closing gap between the Sask. NDP and the governing Sask. Party.

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When asked which party they would vote for if an election were held today, 45 per cent said they would vote NDP, up six per cent from September. Sask. Party’s approval rating fell from 53 to 51 per cent in that same time period.

“People are starting to see through all the finger pointing and divisive, American-style politics,” Beck said. “This party is laser focused on the very real issues keeping Saskatchewan people up at night, like healthcare and the cost of living.”

In the poll, the top concern for respondents was inflation and rising costs at 58 per cent.

The fall sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature began on Oct. 26, following an extension of the spring session solely focused on bringing the Parents’ Bill of Rights into law.

The Saskatchewan NDP currently holds 14 seats in the legislature, having gained two during a trio of byelections in August.

The Sask. Party holds 46 seats, while Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) Leader Nadine Wilson holds the remaining seat.