Saskatchewan New Democrats Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Medicare At Annual Convention
Saskatchewan New Democrats are meeting in Saskatoon for their annual convention with special time set aside to recognize the implementation of publicly funded healthcare in the province in 1962.Federal NDP Leader, Thomas Mulcair addressed the delegates on Friday, the first day of the three day event.
Saskatchewan New Democrats are also getting ready to start a leadership race that will see a new leader elected in the spring of 2013. Names that are being bounced around for consideration are current MLA's Trent Wotherspoon and Cam Broten, as well as USW economist Erin Weir. Runner up in the last leadership race was Saskatoon physician, Ryan Meili, who to date has not indicated if he will throw his hat in the ring.
This is a time of generational change in the leadership and directional setting of Saskatchewan New Democrats. It is long past time for such change. The current caucus of 9 MLA's has a huge job dealing with the personal popularity of Saskatchewan Party Leader, and premier, Brad Wall. Although some cracks are now appearing in the Sask Party administration ... whose hatred of organized labour will see them initiate further measures to hobble Saskatchewan's working people to the advantage of Wall's corporate sponsors and buddies.
The Sask NDP should stand boldly and tell it like it is. Mr. Wall has contrived a new mythology which he is attempting to spoon feed to the voting public. This mythology is based on a whitewash of the devastating effect the Conservative Grant Devine administration had on the province. Wall, himself, was a ministerial staffer in the 1982-1991 administration that oversaw the strategic and deliberate bankrupting of the provincial treasury in an attempt to justify the sale and disposal of Saskatchewan's Crown Corporations.
Saskatchewan's New Democrats face the same challenge as their federal counterparts. They are up against the weight and influence of unlimited corporate money which is being used to prop up a business owned government.
The provincial New Dems desperately need to engage Mr. Wall in some hard discussion about economic reality. That simply is NOT happening effectively at the moment. The challenge of Wall's corporate muscle and main stream media pandering is not insurmountable, but it is going to take fearless leadership to remedy.
Hard economic questions need to be asked of the Sask Party government. The false mythology advanced by pip-squeak, open-mouth show wind bags needs to be challenged. Brad Wall can and will be defeated. But it's going to take some committed and fearless leadership to turn the tide.
