Politics of Saskatchewan
Encyclopedia
The Politics of Saskatchewan are part of the Canadian
federal political system
along with the other Canadian provinces
. Saskatchewan
has a Lieutenant-Governor, Gordon Barnhart
, who is the representative of the Crown in Right of Saskatchewan
, an elected premier
, Brad Wall
, leading the Cabinet
, and a unicameral legislature
.
was the province's main centrist party for several decades early in Saskatchewan's existence, ruling from 1905–29 and from 1934–44. James T.M. Anderson formed a Conservative government (which ruled from 1930–34) by an alliance with the Progressives (see Progressive Party of Canada
) in the provincial legislature.
In 1935, under the watch of Liberal Premier James Garfield Gardiner
, the On-to-Ottawa Trekkers, and citizens of Regina
clashed with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) during the Regina Riot.
In 1944, Tommy Douglas
became premier of the first avowedly socialist regional government in North America
. Most of Douglas' MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) represented rural and small-town ridings. The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) government implemented provincial Medicare
, billed at the time as government-funded mandatory universal medical insurance. This model would later be adopted across Canada. In 1958, Douglas left provincial politics to become the first leader of the federal New Democratic Party
.
have dominated provincial politics with Douglas, Allan Blakeney
, and Roy Romanow
all serving long periods as premier and becoming national figures. Urbanization since the Second World War has altered the provincial economy away from its agricultural basis, and there has been a steady migration from farms to cities and towns. There was a corresponding shift in the NDP's focus from rural to urban concerns, so that the NDP gradually represented voters in cities and towns.
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party regained power in 1964. The Progressive Conservatives
led by Grant Devine
gradually replaced the Liberals as the NDP's main rival and soundly defeated the New Democrats in 1982's. But the Conservatives' popularity plummeted after running up large deficits and being closely aligned with the Brian Mulroney
-led federal PC government; Devine was defeated in 1991. Several PC MLAs, including some cabinet ministers, were convicted for misappropriation of public funds, and the PC Party itself went into suspension, though it has recently announced its intention to run a full slate in the next provincial election.
was formed, with four Progressive Conservatives and four Liberals joining together. It served as the official opposition for most of that decade, and was elected to form the government in the 2007 election
.
Today, the official opposition in the province is the New Democratic Party
. The current premier of Saskatchewan is Brad Wall
, whose government came to power in the 2007 election
-- the Saskatchewan Party won seats in the Legislative Assembly, as did the NDP.
, CCF/NDP leaders Major Coldwell and Tommy Douglas.
Of the 14 federal constituencies in Saskatchewan, 13 are currently occupied by members of the Conservative Party of Canada
. While the province has a large provincial NDP opposition, the federal NDP hasn't won a seat here since 2004. This is mainly because the ridings based in Regina and Saskatoon include large blocks of conservative-leaning rural territory, which largely cancels out the NDP support in the cities. While Regina and Saskatoon have roughly double the population of an urban riding in Canada, the rural areas near those cities are too thinly populated for ridings of their own.
The federal Liberals
have not done well in the province in recent years. The province's only Liberal Member of Parliament is former Finance Minister and current Deputy Opposition Leader Ralph Goodale
.
, Métis
, or Inuit
comprised 14.8% a of the overall population. Unlike neighbouring Alberta
, Saskatchewan does not have land set aside as Métis Settlements (see Métis in Alberta
).
Saskatchewan also has a rich history of Aboriginal political leaders of national prominence. First Nations leaders include Walter Dieter
, Noel Starblanket
, and the highly controversial David Ahenakew
. First Nations are represented in the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
. In addition, each First Nation has its own government band structure. The majority of Saskatchewan First Nations are Cree
although Saulteaux
, Assiniboine, Dakota
, and Dene
bands predominate in some areas.
Métis leaders of national importance include Malcolm Norris
, Jim Sinclair
and Clément Chartier
. Métis people in the province take part in the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan
. The Métis nation is represented on the community level by Métis Locals, structured similarly to trade union
locals.
In 1982 the Aboriginal People's Party
ran ten electoral candidates for the provincial legislature but received little support.
, or non-Crown Land
, in Saskatchewan is divided into rural municipalities and urban municipalities. Rural Municipalities have a corporate structure for dealing with larger governments known as SARM: the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities
. Unlike neighbouring Alberta, Saskatchewan does not have Municipal Districts.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
federal political system
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
along with the other Canadian provinces
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
. Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
has a Lieutenant-Governor, Gordon Barnhart
Gordon Barnhart
-See also:*Monarchy in Saskatchewan*Government House - External Links :* -Sources:* by Sarah Macdonald, The Leader-Post, July 31, 2006, retrieved August 1, 2006,* retrieved December 18, 2006,***-References:...
, who is the representative of the Crown in Right of Saskatchewan
Monarchy in Saskatchewan
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, the Canadian monarchy operates in Saskatchewan as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy; As such, the Crown within Saskatchewan's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Saskatchewan, Her Majesty in Right...
, an elected premier
Premier of Saskatchewan
The Premier of Saskatchewan is the first minister for the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive....
, Brad Wall
Brad Wall
Bradley John "Brad" Wall, MLA is a Canadian politician who has been the 14th Premier of Saskatchewan since November 21, 2007....
, leading the Cabinet
Executive Council of Saskatchewan
The Executive Council of Saskatchewan is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
, and a unicameral legislature
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
.
Early politics
The Saskatchewan Liberal PartySaskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
was the province's main centrist party for several decades early in Saskatchewan's existence, ruling from 1905–29 and from 1934–44. James T.M. Anderson formed a Conservative government (which ruled from 1930–34) by an alliance with the Progressives (see Progressive Party of Canada
Progressive Party of Canada
The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. It was linked with the provincial United Farmers parties in several provinces and, in Manitoba, ran candidates and formed governments as the Progressive Party of Manitoba...
) in the provincial legislature.
In 1935, under the watch of Liberal Premier James Garfield Gardiner
James Garfield Gardiner
James Garfield "Jimmy" Gardiner, PC was a Canadian farmer, educator, and politician...
, the On-to-Ottawa Trekkers, and citizens of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
clashed with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) during the Regina Riot.
In 1944, Tommy Douglas
Tommy Douglas
Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, was a Scottish-born Baptist minister who became a prominent Canadian social democratic politician...
became premier of the first avowedly socialist regional government in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Most of Douglas' MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) represented rural and small-town ridings. The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) government implemented provincial Medicare
Medicare (Canada)
Medicare is the unofficial name for Canada's publicly funded universal health insurance system. The formal terminology for the insurance system is provided by the Canada Health Act and the health insurance legislation of the individual provinces and territories.Under the terms of the Canada Health...
, billed at the time as government-funded mandatory universal medical insurance. This model would later be adopted across Canada. In 1958, Douglas left provincial politics to become the first leader of the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
.
Postwar period
During most of the postwar period, the CCF and its successor, the New Democratic PartyNew Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
have dominated provincial politics with Douglas, Allan Blakeney
Allan Blakeney
Allan Emrys Blakeney, PC, OC, SOM, QC, FRSC was the tenth Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1971 to 1982, and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party .-Life and career:...
, and Roy Romanow
Roy Romanow
Roy John Romanow, PC, OC, QC, SOM is a Canadian politician and the 12th Premier of Saskatchewan ....
all serving long periods as premier and becoming national figures. Urbanization since the Second World War has altered the provincial economy away from its agricultural basis, and there has been a steady migration from farms to cities and towns. There was a corresponding shift in the NDP's focus from rural to urban concerns, so that the NDP gradually represented voters in cities and towns.
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party regained power in 1964. The Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan
The Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan is a right-of-centre political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Prior to 1942, it was known as the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan. Members are commonly known as Tories....
led by Grant Devine
Grant Devine
Donald Grant Devine was the 11th Premier of Saskatchewan from May 8, 1982 to November 1, 1991.- Early life :Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, he received a B.Sc. in Agriculture degree specializing in Agricultural Economics in 1967 from the University of Saskatchewan, an M.Sc. specializing in...
gradually replaced the Liberals as the NDP's main rival and soundly defeated the New Democrats in 1982's. But the Conservatives' popularity plummeted after running up large deficits and being closely aligned with the Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
-led federal PC government; Devine was defeated in 1991. Several PC MLAs, including some cabinet ministers, were convicted for misappropriation of public funds, and the PC Party itself went into suspension, though it has recently announced its intention to run a full slate in the next provincial election.
Contemporary politics
In the 1990s the right-wing Saskatchewan PartySaskatchewan Party
The Saskatchewan Party is a conservative liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was established in 1997 by a coalition of former provincial Progressive Conservative and Liberal party members and supporters who sought to remove the Saskatchewan New Democratic...
was formed, with four Progressive Conservatives and four Liberals joining together. It served as the official opposition for most of that decade, and was elected to form the government in the 2007 election
Saskatchewan general election, 2007
The 26th Saskatchewan general election was held on November 7, 2007; the writ was dropped on October 10, 2007. The election determined the composition of the 26th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
.
Today, the official opposition in the province is the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
. The current premier of Saskatchewan is Brad Wall
Brad Wall
Bradley John "Brad" Wall, MLA is a Canadian politician who has been the 14th Premier of Saskatchewan since November 21, 2007....
, whose government came to power in the 2007 election
Saskatchewan general election, 2007
The 26th Saskatchewan general election was held on November 7, 2007; the writ was dropped on October 10, 2007. The election determined the composition of the 26th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
-- the Saskatchewan Party won seats in the Legislative Assembly, as did the NDP.
Federal politics
Nationally notable federal politicians from Saskatchewan include Prime Minister John DiefenbakerJohn Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
, CCF/NDP leaders Major Coldwell and Tommy Douglas.
Of the 14 federal constituencies in Saskatchewan, 13 are currently occupied by members of the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
. While the province has a large provincial NDP opposition, the federal NDP hasn't won a seat here since 2004. This is mainly because the ridings based in Regina and Saskatoon include large blocks of conservative-leaning rural territory, which largely cancels out the NDP support in the cities. While Regina and Saskatoon have roughly double the population of an urban riding in Canada, the rural areas near those cities are too thinly populated for ridings of their own.
The federal Liberals
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
have not done well in the province in recent years. The province's only Liberal Member of Parliament is former Finance Minister and current Deputy Opposition Leader Ralph Goodale
Ralph Goodale
Ralph Edward Goodale, PC, MP was Canada's Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2006 and continues to be a Liberal Member of Parliament...
.
Aboriginal politics
Saskatchewan, when compared to other provinces, has a large Aboriginal population. As of the 2006 Canadian census, residents identifying as First NationsFirst Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
, Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
, or Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
comprised 14.8% a of the overall population. Unlike neighbouring Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Saskatchewan does not have land set aside as Métis Settlements (see Métis in Alberta
Métis in Alberta
Métis in Alberta are Métis people who live in the Canadian province of Alberta. The Métis are the decedents of mixed First Nations/native Indian and White/European families. The Métis are considered an aboriginal group under Canada's constitution but are separate from the First Nations and have...
).
Saskatchewan also has a rich history of Aboriginal political leaders of national prominence. First Nations leaders include Walter Dieter
Walter Dieter
Walter Perry Dieter, was a Canadian First Nations leader. He was the founding chief of the National Indian Brotherhood in 1968, which is today known as the Assembly of First Nations....
, Noel Starblanket
Noel Starblanket
Noel Starblanket is a First Nations leader in Canada. For two terms from 1976 to 1980 he was chief of the National Indian Brotherhood ....
, and the highly controversial David Ahenakew
David Ahenakew
David Ahenakew was a Canadian First Nations politician, and former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.Ahenakew was born at the Sandy Lake Indian Reserve in Saskatchewan...
. First Nations are represented in the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is a Saskatchewan-based First Nations organization.The federation grew out of a number of different organizations. Although the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians was organized in 1959 , it grew out of the Union of Saskatchewan Indians, founded...
. In addition, each First Nation has its own government band structure. The majority of Saskatchewan First Nations are Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
although Saulteaux
Saulteaux
The Saulteaux are a First Nation in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.-Ethnic classification:The Saulteaux are a branch of the Ojibwe nations. They are sometimes also called Anihšināpē . Saulteaux is a French term meaning "people of the rapids," referring to...
, Assiniboine, Dakota
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, and Dene
Dene
The Dene are an aboriginal group of First Nations who live in the northern boreal and Arctic regions of Canada. The Dené speak Northern Athabaskan languages. Dene is the common Athabaskan word for "people" . The term "Dene" has two usages...
bands predominate in some areas.
Métis leaders of national importance include Malcolm Norris
Malcolm Norris
Malcolm Norris was an influential Canadian Métis leader of the twentieth century and celebrated Aboriginal activist. A Marxist, Socialist, and Métis nationalist he served for a time with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and as an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company...
, Jim Sinclair
Jim Sinclair (politician)
Jim Sinclair is a Non-Status Indian leader from Saskatchewan Canada. Despite his Non-Status, rather than Métis, background, for many years he was one of the pre-eminent Métis leaders in Canada...
and Clément Chartier
Clément Chartier
Clément Chartier LL.B, QC is a Métis Canadian leader. He grew up in Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan. He officially became a lawyer in 1980...
. Métis people in the province take part in the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan
Métis Nation - Saskatchewan
The Métis Nation—Saskatchewan is an organization that represents the approximately 80,000 Métis people in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is affiliated with the Métis National Council....
. The Métis nation is represented on the community level by Métis Locals, structured similarly to trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
locals.
In 1982 the Aboriginal People's Party
Aboriginal People's Party
The Aboriginal People's Party was a political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan that nominated 10 candidates in the 1982 elections for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
ran ten electoral candidates for the provincial legislature but received little support.
Municipal politics
On the municipal level, non-Indian ReserveIndian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
, or non-Crown Land
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
, in Saskatchewan is divided into rural municipalities and urban municipalities. Rural Municipalities have a corporate structure for dealing with larger governments known as SARM: the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities
Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, often abbreviated as SARM, is an independent association that is responsible for representing the governments of the many rural municipalities in Saskatchewan. It is an official Government of Saskatchewan sanctioned corporation...
. Unlike neighbouring Alberta, Saskatchewan does not have Municipal Districts.
See also
- History of SaskatchewanHistory of SaskatchewanHistory of Saskatchewan encompasses the study of past human events and activities of the province of Saskatchewan, the middle of Canada's three prairie provinces. Archaeological studies give some clues as to the history and lifestyles of the Palaeo-Indian, Taltheilei, and Shield Archaic Traditions...
- List of Saskatchewan Premiers
- List of Saskatchewan general elections
- List of political parties in Saskatchewan
- First Nations in SaskatchewanFirst Nations in SaskatchewanFirst Nations in Saskatchewan constitute many nations. First Nations ethnicities in the province include the Cree, Assiniboine, Saulteaux, Dene and Dakota. Historically the Atsina and Blackfoot could also be found at various times....
- Politics of CanadaPolitics of CanadaThe politics of Canada function within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is head of state...
- Political Culture of CanadaPolitical culture of CanadaCanadian political culture is in some ways part of a greater North American and European political culture, which emphasizes constitutional law, freedom of religion, personal liberty, and regional autonomy; these ideas stemming in various degrees from the British common law and French civil law...
- Council of the FederationCouncil of the FederationThe Council of the Federation is a council in Canada made up of the premiers of Canada's thirteen provinces and territories. Its main function is to provide a united front amongst the provincial and territorial governments when interacting with Canada's federal government...