Ian Hanna (left), former senior advisor to Brad Wall joined Tom Kroczynski, Sask NDP candidate for The Battlefords, for a press conference Friday. ( Kenneth Cheung / battlefordsNOW staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

2024 PROVINCIAL ELECTION

Party leaders and candidates make final election push

Oct 25, 2024 | 2:40 PM

As the provincial election enters the home stretch, the parties are making their final push.

With a little over 100 volunteers, candidates and supporters cheering and waving signs in Regina, Scott Moe kicked off his party’s final weekend of the campaign.

He welcomed area candidates onto the stage like a boxing announcer and thanked them for their work on the campaign trail. He also encouraged residents to get out and vote.

“Over 200-thousand people have already found their way to advanced polls and our early reports are just this…there are many, many, many Sask Party supporters finding their way to those polls as well.”

Moe said voters can choose between the Sask NDP and their record of ‘decline, loss and closure’ or they can choose a strong economy and a bright future for children with the Sask Party.

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“Over seventeen thousand additional jobs just this past year alone arrived in Saskatchewan communities. That’s one job being created each and every 30 minutes of the last 365 days and we can choose to keep that going,” said Moe. “Or, we can go back to what it was like under the NDP where there was also one job created for a Saskatchewan person every thirty minutes…unfortunately, our children had to move to Alberta to get that job.”

Moe touted his party’s plan to leave more money in the pockets of Saskatchewan residents, while he said the NDP ‘wants to take those very dollars out of your pocket so they can spend it for you.’

Sask Party leader Scott Moe rallied with candidates ahead of the 30th general election. (Sask Party/Facebook)

One person who doesn’t agree with that record anymore is Ian Hanna. The former senior advisor to former Sask Party premier Brad Wall stood in solidarity with the NDP candidate for The Battlefords Tom Kroczynski Friday morning and encouraged people to get out to vote for change.

Hanna highlighted what he called mismanagement issues that occurred under the Sask Party government, particularly during incumbent Jeremy Cockrill’s tenure as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and in his role as the Minister of Education.

“I can think of no one in Saskatchewan that’s more deserving of a period of time in the political wilderness to reflect on his actions,” said Hanna.

Hanna pointed out Cockrill’s handling of the teachers’ contract dispute, which led to the longest strike in Saskatchewan’s history.

“He’s good at taking orders, not so good at speaking up for his constituents and students in Saskatchewan. He’s an apologist for a government that has taken us from first place to last place in funding in classrooms,” he said.

He later mentioned other controversies involving Cockrill, including his remarks that garnered negative attention like when he used the phrase ‘it could have been worse’ when speaking about a Saskatoon high school incident in which a student set another on fire.

“Jeremy Cockrill is, at best, careless in his words and, at worst, a bit callous and uncaring. These are not the qualities that you want in a minister. And I haven’t even mentioned the conflict of interest allegations against Jeremy Cockrill, allegations now under investigation by the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, but as we are seeing this week, there’s a troubling culture of entitlement to the Saskatchewan party,” Hanna stated.

Ian Hanna, former speech writer and senior advisor for Brad Wall, campaignsed for Sask. NDP in Battlefords. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

He went on to mention Gary Grewal, the MLA for Regina Northeast who was recently found guilty of violating conflict of interest laws.

Hanna said he now believes that the Sask NDP is the right choice for change.

“I’ve spoken with so many residents here in the Battefords who are voting for better healthcare, who are voting for lower class sizes, who are voting to cut the gas tax and lower costs,” added Kroczynski.

“This election isn’t about Team Green vs.Team Orange. It’s about Team Saskatchewan.”

-With files from CJME News

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com