New NDP leader Carla Beck had several meetings in the Battlefords on Thursday. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Listening to concerns

Beck stresses building trust in provincial NDP tour

Jul 15, 2022 | 5:00 PM

Carla Beck is trying to hit the ground running in her role at the top of the province’s opposition party.

The new leader of the Saskatchewan NDP has been traveling across the province as part of a multi-week ‘building to win’ tour, which included several meetings in the Battlefords on Thursday. A registered social worker, Beck has been speaking with healthcare workers and social service members, as well as several other groups.

In an interview with battlefordsNOW, she said the primary focus is growing relationships with every community, noting a lack of trust in the NDP from many residents in rural areas. While she believes much of what people know about their opposition comes from the Sask Party, Beck said it’s on her part to change that and give people an alternative.

“The best way to build trust that I know is to get in front of people, to listen to them, things they’ve been holding onto and build on things we agree on,” she said.

“It’s our job to show them that we are serious and put ourselves in a position to be an exciting alternative to the Sask Party in 2024.”

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Having grown up in rural Saskatchewan, Beck said she’s found that many people feel misunderstood, particularly in industries like farming, ranching and oil and gas. In meeting in recent weeks with ranchers, she said the people she talked to wanted others to know how much they care for their land and cattle, along with the steps they take to take care of both. Beck added that this connected to making sure the economy is diverse and full of opportunity.

“It’s not in anyone’s interest to be shamed and blamed,” she said. “As a mom with two kids out of the province, we want people to see a future here.”

“We know that all sectors in our province are part of our history, but also a part of our future.”

Beck said her experience in making connections to build teams and do outreach is an asset that’s already being put to work as she hears concerns across Saskatchewan. Among the ones she brought up were several specific to healthcare, including a lack of staffing, long wait times and an inability to get or keep doctors.

“People are looking for their leaders to listen and pay attention to the concerns they have, so that’s what we’ve been focused,” she said.

Another primary concern was affordability. Beck said residents are seeing their gas bills double, along with huge increases in groceries and energy costs. During a stop in Lloydminster Friday, she called on the government to follow the example of provinces like Alberta to enact measures that provide relief to families.

“Those concerns are here and present in the Battlefords, but they’re the same concerns we’ve heard in other areas of the province,” Beck said.

The new NDP leader also noted that many people she’s met with have said they’re unhappy with division and political games.

“You’ve got federal and provincial politicians taking shots and blaming each other in the media while nothing is getting done,” said Beck. “Enough excuses. We need adults in the room.”

“All levels of government need to work together to make life more affordable. It’s time to get back to work on real solutions.”

Local representative response

MLA Jeremy Cockrill spoke briefly with battlefordsNOW following Beck’s stop in the Battlefords. He said that when it comes to trust, she will have to own the NDP’s record in the province that preceded the Sask Party taking over almost two decades ago.

“I know they don’t like us to talk about it, but when you close hospitals and schools and have polices that negatively effects farmers, that breaks trust,” Cockrill said.

He also said the government is working to address healthcare issues, particularly in staffing, and disagreed with the view that the government isn’t trying to address concerns.

“Certainly that’s not my experience, I see myself and my colleagues out across the province in different constituency’s every week. We’re consistently listening and consulting with people.”

One area where Cockrill found some agreement was the understanding that people are sick of division. While acknowledging that criticizing the other side is part of the job for a politician, he noted that meeting with as many people as possible and being able to understand them is critical.

“If I can understand and see the humanity in somebody, even if I disagree on a certain policy position, then that means I want to serve them as somebody who lives in the same community,” he said. “I want to see them be successful.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW