Sask. Party celebrates 25 years since founding
They’re the dominant force in Saskatchewan politics, a party formed 25 years ago by Liberals and Conservatives coming together under a Saskatchewan Party banner.
Don Toth was a Conservative MLA during the late 1990’s and was one of the eight founding members of the Sask. Party.
“You know we used to sit and listen to these members speaking the house and we’d be saying amongst ourselves as Conservatives; ‘You know they think a lot like we do,’” Toth told CTV News.
It was a move to unite the right of centre vote into a united political force strong enough to take on Saskatchewan’s NDP government at the time.
Speaking to media following the announcement of the Sask. Party back in the spring of 1997, Conservative MLA Bill Boyd outlined the thoughts behind the formation of the new provincial party.
“This is in my view the only option for setting forward the policies and the platform that we think the people of Saskatchewan want advanced to oppose the NDP,” he said in the archived interview.
It would takes 10 years and three elections for the Saskatchewan Party to achieve its goal. Today, over 800 Saskatchewan Party members gathered in Davidson to mark the anniversary of the party’s founding.
“For me the accomplishments of the Saskatchewan Party that I would be the most proud of being a part of, in any capacity, since I’ve been elected and even those folks who were here most certainly before are the pro-growth policies that have been put in place,” Premier Scott Moe said in his remarks.
“We are seeing those policies attract investment from around the world, provide jobs for people to move here or for our kids to stay here.”
While the Sask. Party has been criticized for shifting more toward conservative policies during its time in government; the alliance formed by the founding members has remained intact as the party continues a 15 year run in power.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.