When will the Sask NDP Leadership Race Heat Up?
This is first sign of movement in months.
Yens Pedersen, the party president who has temporarily stepped down as he contemplates his own leadership run, said recently he's still weighing his own options and seeing who else gets in the raceI will be fairly disappointed if there is not at least 3 or 4 people in the race.
The list of possibilities is still large.
Deb Higgin
Len Taylor
Yens Peterson
** Dwain Lingenfelter **
Andrew Thompson
Frank Quennell
Nettie Wiebe
Dion Tchorzewski
Pat Atkinson
3 comments:
'A message of hope and confidence'
The Leader-Post
Published: Saturday, November 29, 2008
I am quite taken aback at the statements from Yens Pedersen, Don Mitchell and Dion Tchorzewski, regarding Dwain Lingenfelter's quest to become leader of the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan (Leader-Post, Nov. 27).
Let's review: Pederson managed to lose a seat in Regina in the last provincial campaign, a seat held by the NDP with a majority of over 2,000 votes in the 2003 campaign. As president of the party, he has presided over a steady decline in membership and fundraising. Not very inspiring.
Mitchell has just also lost an election and since that time, had been silent until this article was published.
And Tchorzewski's main claim to political fame is the reputation of his late father, who was a giant in Saskatchewan politics and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Roy Romanow and Lingenfelter in tackling the mess left behind by Grant Devine.
In contrast, Lingenfelter has chosen to put his name forward as a contender for the leadership of the New Democrats. After being an integral part of the government of Romanow, which successfully balanced budgets when oil was 15 bucks a barrel, while digging the province out from under 14.2 billion dollars of accumulated debt run up by the Devine Conservatives (now calling themselves the Saskatchewan Party), Lingenfelter accepted a position with a major energy company in Calgary.
Although he has lived in Calgary and other places around the world for the past eight years, Lingenfelter has continued to operate his family farm near Shaunavon, and has never been far from the political pulse of our province.
Contrary to those who see his involvement in the energy sector as a negative, I am impressed by the fact that he has proven he can walk into any gathering, whether in the business, labour or agricultural arena, and speak intelligently on matters important to people in those fields. A person who can command respect in the boardroom of a major corporation, a union hall or a coffee party on a family farm is exactly the leader New Democrats should be looking for.
Lingenfelter is one of the best fundraisers and organizers the New Democrats have ever produced. He is passionate about our province and doesn't want to see it fall into the same abyss that it did from 1982 to 1991. He hasn't made any disparaging remarks about any other potential candidates, but has rather chosen to bring a message of hope and confidence to a party which, understandably, is in some disarray after losing an election.
There will be a new crop of young New Democrat candidates in the next provincial contest here in Saskatchewan. Lingenfelter has the experience, vision and drive to mentor those young and energetic people and to rebuild a party that all Saskatchewan people will be proud to support.
As for the naysayers...a little less talk and a little more action, please.
Brian Sklar
Regina
I keep checking back hoping that someone else has jumped into the race.
I guess I will just have to keep on checking.
Why is it taking so long for somebody to get into this race?
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