REGINA - The federal election campaign is still off to a slow start in Saskatchewan this week.
The parties are still in the process of filling their slates of candidates. When the election was called only the Conservatives had a full slate in the province’s 14 ridings.
All other parties have been playing catch-up.
Both the NDP and Liberals had only about half of their candidates in place by midweek. But announcements of nominations have been happening at a fast clip and some more candidates have been announced.
Newly announced candidates running for the Liberals include Rahima Mian in Regina -Qu’Appelle, Mac Hird in Regina-Lewvan, Chad Eggerman in Saskatoon West and Christopher Hadubiak in Prince Albert. The PPC have also added more candidates and running Richard Wintringham in Saskatoon Â鶹ÊÓƵ, and Francois Blais in Prince Albert.
A few campaigns have offices up and running. Earlier this week, Liberal candidate Jeff Walters opened his campaign office in Regina-Wascana. Meanwhile, Regina’s Conservative candidates including Regina Lewvan’s Warren Steinley and Regina Qu’Appelle’s Andrew Scheer already have some signs put up.
As for Scheer himself, he was on the streets campaigning this week — in Ontario.
Scheer was in Ajax, a riding east of Toronto, where the former federal Conservative leader was lnocking on doors in support of radio host Greg Brady’s bid for Parliament.
“Heard loud and clear in Ajax: voters know Mark Carney will be just like Justin Trudeau,” Scheer posted on X. “The same Liberal policies that drove up the cost of living, also made Canada more dependent on and vulnerable to the US. Our common sense candidate @gregbradyajax is working hard!”
As for the federal leaders, none have turned up in Saskatchewan so far, with the campaigns focusing their attention largely on eastern Canada. Liberal leader Mark Carney has stopped in St. John’s, Kitchener, Windsor and Montreal. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has held massive rallies in Hamilton and in Surrey, B.C., and was spending a second day in B.C. Friday.
Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has also been in eastern Canada this week campaigning in Montreal, Hamilton and on Friday in Toronto.
It is anticipated more leaders will be coming out West in the coming days, with Poilievre planning a rally in Winnipeg this weekend.
