NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter says people don't know who the real Premier Brad Wall really is in the wake of his decision to oppose the proposed BHP Billiton takeover of PotashCorp.
In an interview with the Regional Optimist Monday, Lingenfelter took note of what he described as the premier's change of heart on the takeover to take the 'socialist' position he supports.
"For two months now he's been making fun of the New Democratic Party who said the deal should be stopped," Lingenfelter said, "saying if you stop this deal from going through that you'll be chasing business away.
"I don't know what convinced him, or when he decided he was no longer a free enterpriser and now has become a socialist," said Lingenfelter, "but we welcome him on the team."
Lingenfelter went on to say Wall's change of mind raises questions as to what Wall really stands for.
He took note of some of the media criticism directed the premier's way from the rest of Canada. Financial Post commentator Terence Corcoran famously referred to Wall as "El Presidente" in the wake of the premier's major speech in Regina announcing the province's opposition to the PotashCorp takeover attempt. He said the premier sounded like he was squeezing dollars out of a multinational mining giant.
Lingenfelter said the reason for the intense media debate outside Saskatchewan is the commentators don't know whether Wall is the free enterpriser he had professed to be on his tours around the world, or the 'socialist' he has been in the last week since his speech.
"They're completely baffled as to who Brad Wall really is," Lingenfelter said. "They're saying 'will the real Brad Wall please stand up?'"
Lingenfelter said the NDP has set out a seven-point plan that they will take to the legislature to make sure that, if the potash corporation is sold, there is a "strict list of arrangements that have to be enforced on behalf of the people of Saskatchewan."
Lingenfelter's primary reason for being in the Battlefords Monday was for a fundraiser at Gold Ridge Centre for Cut Knife-Turtleford NDP candidate Bernadette Gopher, who will be running in that seat in 2011. The seat is currently held by Michael Chisholm of the Saskatchewan Party, who plans to leave politics at the end of this term. Lingenfelter said he also was meeting with Battlefords MLA Len Taylor in preparation for the sitting of the legislature this week.
This has been a week of heightened political activity for both parties in the Cut Knife-Turtleford riding. The Sask. Party held nomination meetings over two nights in both Mervin and Maidstone to select their candidate in the riding. The successful nominee was to be announced Friday evening in Maidstone following the final round of voting.
Premier Brad Wall was set to deliver his annual address at the Northwest Premier's Dinner in Lloydminster, an event expected to be well attended by Sask. Party supporters from across the region, Thursday night.
