Who are the five candidates running in Yorkton's provincial election?

An Elections Saskatchewan polling place sign can be seen in this file photo. (Brendan Ellis/CTV News)

Yorkton, Sask. -

Yorkton residents will be choosing a new Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the upcoming provincial election following long-term former MLA Greg Ottenbreit’s departure after 17 years.

With five different candidates vying for the seat, CTV News asked all parties why they chose to run for the position.

Representing the Saskatchewan Green Party for the Yorkton constituency is candidate Valerie Brooks.

“I believe the (Saskatchewan) Green Party has the values that the world needs right now. Values of peace, values of sustainability, values of collaboration, values of fiscally responsible governing,” Brooks stated.

“We have a very robust platform. A lot of people think we’re all about the environment, but we’re so much more than that. We have a real model to govern wisely, and I just want more people to hear about it. That’s why I’m running.”

David Chan, Saskatchewan Party candidate, shared his reason behind running.

“I work in mental health, and I see people from all walks of life. I see people struggling. There’s been so much changes in our world, the cost of living has gone through the roof and I’m seeing that behind the scenes,” he said.

“I’ve always been motivated by a desire to help people, and I see government has having such a tremendous power to do good in peoples lives. The way I see it, it’s more than just fixing problems, it’s about supporting things that make a difference in people’s lives. I chose to run for the Saskatchewan Party because I believe in the vision, the guiding principles.”

Saskatchewan United Party candidate Doug Forster stated why he chose to put his name in the race.

“I love my city. I care about what happens in the city and for the future of our kids, our grandkids, all of my friends and communities’ grandkids, all of the kids,” Forster stated.

“I feel it’s important we get proper representation, and I saw this as an opportunity to step up and maybe try to be a voice for the people and the people of Yorkton. Yorkton is very important to me. I feel to properly represent somebody we have to try and make change. That’s what I want to do, I want to see if I can be the voice to make some change.”

Candidate for the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan Timothy Kasprick explained his decision.

“The thing that’s really got me going on in this constituency is our dire need for the new hospital. I myself, when I worked for the (Saskatchewan) Health Authority 15 years ago, I had the copy of a new hospital in my hand, everyone did,” he said.

“We were all excited a new hospital was coming then it disappeared. In the meantime, our hospital has decayed, patients are suffering, and even worse, we’re clogging up Regina, Saskatoon and other areas because where else do you go if your local facility can’t handle that. We absolutely have the resources to build that hospital, it will be a benefit for the entire province, not just us. It’s time it gets built, the Buffalo Party will hold the balance of power in this legislature.”

NDP candidate Lenore Pinder shared her reason to run.

“Over the last few years, I started becoming concerned about what was happening with the education system, for my child, and also what was happening in healthcare for my mom,” she expressed.

“I started to get scared about what was happening with healthcare and education. Then after I got scared, I started to get a little angry. That’s really what motivated me to figure out what party shared the values I share about publicly funded and publicly delivered healthcare and education, and that’s the Saskatchewan NDP.”

Parties speak on their platform if elected

Brooks said the Green Party will be advocating for a sustainable future if elected.

“One of the things most dear to my heart that’s part of our platform is our advocacy for taking care of people and the planet in a sustainable and responsible way,” Brooks explained.

“In order to do that, we have to think in an interconnected way. We can't just take care of healthcare and forget about homelessness, we can't just take care of the economy and forget about the environment. As being a green, I’m proud of the fact that we are the only party still standing up for climate action. I really believe we’re not going to have an economy if we don’t take care of our environment.”

If elected this fall, Chan said the Saskatchewan Party is focused on healthcare and infrastructure.

“One of my top priorities would be recruitment and retention of doctors here in Yorkton. It's a province wide challenge, and it's a Canada wide challenge. I’m keen on focusing not just the recruitment, but the retention,” he said.

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“Also getting our hospital built. I want to acknowledge my predecessor Greg Ottenbreit’s hard work on that file. I know it’s very close and I’m eager to see shovels in the ground. Another really important priority is to get Grain Millers Drive paved and brought up to standard. It services a major economic corridor and once we see that road completed, we will see more investment flow into this area. Another important area is to make sure Suncrest College is getting the support they need from our provincial government.

“One of my personal interests will be to advocate for more treatment spaces in our province. I work in mental health, so I see the needs. I think investing into addressing our needs for mental health and addictions is an important preventive measure that I think we’ll see the overflow of benefits in the long run.”

Saskatchewan United Party Forster said management of funds is a key point for his party if elected.

“The thing about management is that a lot of these departments that are run currently by the government we just keep throwing money after problems. We try to find the solution, but nothing is happening because we’re revisiting the same problem with the same answers,” Forster stated.

“We need to restructure some management. We need to tear these departments apart and start looking at where the money is going and make sure the money ends up where it needs to be, on the frontlines of healthcare, on the frontlines of education, and certainly to support people in the communities that need the help that they need to get."

Kasprick said the Buffalo Party is looking to bring more revenue in for future projects if elected.

"A top priority is the hospital, but we have something really exciting. Everyone wants to build a new hospital, but how do you pay for it? We have that plan,” he explained.

“To double Saskatchewan's oil production to one million barrels a day. That extra revenue can fund the hospital and so many other things. We are absolutely against the carbon tax, we will fight that, but also we want to carbon sequester carbon capture our existing coal plants, that will allow them to keep running under the current federal guidelines. We don’t have to go on an expensive nuclear power building project.”

Investing into education and healthcare are the main platform points for Pinder of the NDP.

“The people in Yorkton share my concerns about healthcare, education, and affordability. I’m pleased that our Saskatchewan NDP platform has announced policy initiatives, should we be elected, that would invest in healthcare so we bring Saskatchewan out of last place of healthcare delivery in the country,” said Pinder.

“We’ve also announced policy investments, should we be elected, to bring education out of last place and invest in school divisions so they can invest in teachers and students in this area.

“As a single parent, affordability is something I’ve really noticed in the last few years as well. Additional items being taxed so I’m really excited that the NDP is also promising, should we be elected, to cut the gas tax on day one, remove the PST from groceries and children’s clothing, and really acknowledge that people really are struggling with affordability in this province."

Where to vote?

Voting week will take place from Oct. 22 to the 26 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the last day to vote being on Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Yorkton.

There are various locations for people to case their ballots, which include the Yorkton Public Library, Prairie Harvest Christian Life Centre, Gallagher Center, and the Gloria Hayden Community Centre.

More information can be found here.