Kindersley riding candidates offer perspectives on issues

Kenneth Brown
of The Crossroads

Advanced voting for the Kindersley provincial riding byelection gets started today, so we’ve posed questions to the candidates as they begin the final week of their campaigns.

The three candidates are Ken Francis of the Saskatchewan Party, Travis Hebert of the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan and Yvonne Potter-Pihach of the Saskatchewan Green Party.

The byelection takes place on March 1 with polling stations located in 20 communities throughout the Kindersley constituency. The polls on March 1 are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voter information is available at the Elections Saskatchewan website www.elections.sk.ca.

There will also be five days of advanced voting starting today. The advanced polls run from Feb. 23 to 27, with polls in Eston, Kerrobert, Kindersley, Macklin, Major and Tramping Lake. The voting takes place on Feb. 23, 26 and 27 from 3 to 10 p.m., and Feb. 24 and 25 from noon to 7 p.m.

Former longtime Kindersley MLA Bill Boyd resigned on Sept. 1. A byelection had to be held within six months of that date, so the Kindersley byelection takes place on the last day of the six-month time frame.

Only two of the three candidates in Kindersley, Francis and Hebert, are campaigning in the election. Potter-Pihach is on the ballot but isn’t running a physical campaign. The two candidates who responded to questions are featured below in alphabetical order.

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Ken Francis

Francis, a land agent who was raised on a farm in the Mantario area, is a first-time candidate. He won a six-candidate nomination contest to be the Sask. Party’s candidate in the byelection. Francis said he has been covering a lot of ground on the campaign trail.

He said he has been busy delivering signs and knocking on doors throughout the constituency. At the time of the interview, he noted that he was looking forward to today because Premier Scott Moe is scheduled to visit the constituency.

Francis said he has travelled extensively throughout the constituency due to his involvement in sports, so he knows the area. He stressed that he believes he is the best candidate for the position and he will work for everyone if elected on March 1.

“I plan on being a true representative of the area.” He said he would represent all Kindersley constituents regardless of their political stripes. “I plan on being a representative that is visible in the community all over the constituency. I plan to be a voice of the average voter.”

The candidate said his agricultural and professional backgrounds allow him to relate to constituents. He understands the needs of the constituency and its people, along with the area’s main industries, due to his background, he said.

He believes his background is more balanced than the other candidates and, in his eyes, the Sask. Party has a better vision than other parties. If elected, he said people could expect him to identify priorities for the constituency, and to take those priorities to Regina. He recognized that budgets are tight for the province, but he would do his best to get things done for constituents.

Francis said health care is one of the main priorities for the area, and it is a huge priority because it affects everyone. The Sask. Party has invested millions of dollars to improve highways in the area, but more needs to be done and he would work to make it happen. He said more passing lanes on Highway 7 are a priority.

He says he is fully opposed to a federal carbon tax and the only reason he believes anyone would support the carbon tax is if it helped to reduce emissions. He says he would not support the carbon tax when Saskatchewan has its own plan to reduce emissions.

The candidate said the province’s tax structure and royalty regimes need to remain attractive for the local agriculture and oil and gas-based economy to remain strong. The Sask. Party has worked to create an environment that is attractive to investment, so it is important to maintain that environment, he noted.

“I can’t stress it enough that voters need to show up no matter who they’re backing (or) who they’re supporting,” Francis added, recognizing that there will be polling stations across the constituency and five days of advanced voting. “You need to exercise your right to vote.”

Travis Hebert

Hebert, a student at the University of Saskatchewan who grew up in the Kindersley area, is a 22-year-old first-time candidate. He won an uncontested nomination, and he could become the youngest MLA in the province’s history if elected on March 1.

He said it has been exciting to hit the campaign trail and he has received a good reception from people when knocking on doors. He said people have told him it will be a tough seat to win but elections are always tough. The issues he has heard line up with his campaign, so he has been able to connect with voters, he said.

The candidate said he is busy knocking on doors and letting people know there is an alternative to the Sask. Party government, and cuts being made in the public sector such as cuts to education. He noted that the NDP is building a platform during the byelection due to its ongoing leadership race, and the party is putting forward its new vision. He is campaigning on issues that are important to voters, he said.

People could expect the candidate to work hard on their behalf and, if elected, he would get out on the doorsteps of constituents right away to better understand the issues they would like him to take to Regina, Hebert said. He commented on his strong work ethic.

“My grandparents built their farm from the ground up and they didn’t give me any exemptions on working hard.” He said he didn’t receive special treatment when he was out picking rocks and doing chores. “I have this great work ethic that I was raised with and I’m planning on hitting the doorsteps and really connecting with people.”

The candidate said he believes education is a major issue and it is a concern that contributed to his decision to run in the byelection. As he has been talking to constituents, cuts to education are a shared concern.

He noted that education is an issue that crosses party lines because everyone wants what is best for their children. Another concern he has heard on the campaign is a need for improved cellular and Internet services in rural areas, so it is important to expand Crown corporations to meet demands, he said.

Hebert said he believes the province needs to work with neighbouring provinces to help stimulate the economy and while agriculture, oil and gas and mining are important and need to be strong industries, the province has to consider alternatives.

As for a carbon tax, he said he is “not necessarily” in favour of the federal government imposing a carbon tax on Saskatchewan because he does not believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau understands the full impact on the province’s carbon-intensive industries. He said a vote for him is a vote for change.

“This byelection is a really good opportunity for people, especially those who have supported the Sask. Party in the past, to send the government a message,” Hebert added, noting that tax changes and cuts have affected everyone. “It is a good way to let them know that they can’t take rural Saskatchewan for granted.”

Yvonne Potter-Pihach

Shawn Setyo, the leader of the Saskatchewan Green Party, said the party’s candidate chose not to run a campaign, but she wanted people to have another option on the ballot. Setyo said the Green Party has traditionally been an urban-centric party.

He noted that the three byelections in Kindersley, Humboldt and Swift Current involve rural areas, so they are allowing the party to learn more about the needs for rural Saskatchewan.

Setyo, who is running in the Humboldt byelection, said the party wants to be part of the discussion. He noted that he and the party’s candidate in Swift Current are campaigning and the party is learning about rural issues.

“We’ve been actively campaigning and hearing these concerns,” he said, recognizing that there is a stark contrast between concerns in urban centres and concerns in rural centres. “This has give us a rare opportunity to hear those concerns.”

The Green Party leader said the party has been learning about concerns with soil quality and a lack of funding for municipalities among others. Small businesses also have concerns and people have a chance to vote for the Green Party on March 1, Setyo added.

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Correction:
An earlier version of this article stated that Ken Francis … opposes the carbon tax and he has not talked to anyone who supports the idea of a carbon tax in Saskatchewan. He said he would support a tax if it helped to reduce carbon, but it does not and Saskatchewan has its own plan to reduce emissions. The Crossroads apologizes for the misunderstanding.