Doug Racine speaking in Prince Albert earlier during the campaign. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nick Nielsen

NDP Candidate Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River

Northern Sask. lawyer and military veteran hopes to represent north with NDP

Apr 8, 2025 | 12:19 PM

After 12 years in the Canadian military and another 25 years as a lawyer in Saskatchewan, La Ronge local Doug Racine is throwing his hat into the political scene as a member of the NDP. As a Métis man himself, his law practice heavily focuses on First Nations issues around Western Canada.

Racine’s campaign slogan for the Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River constituency is ‘Healthy, strong First Nations and Métis communities equal a strong Canada.’ If elected, Racine wants to take a look at how the tax revenues are distributed from the resource rich Northern Saskatchewan.

“The tax revenues that is gathered from the rich resources we have in Northern Saskatchewan, those tax revenues, they go right by La Ronge, right by Prince Albert, and straight down into the into the accounts of the Sask. Party. Maybe some of that federal taxation heads out to Ottawa, and a lot of that money never comes back and we’re starting to see that now.”

As an example, Racine brought up the new 80-bed personal care home that is coming to La Ronge. While having the facility built is going to be a help for La Ronge, the ongoing housing crisis in the country is even more revelant in the North, but the already proposed housing programs don’t serve the needs of the North.

“There’s no place to house the staff. There’s a housing crisis in Northern Saskatchewan and nobody seems to care. What was really interesting because I sat down with a couple of housing experts, what they tell me is that these Liberal housing and Conservative housing programs don’t fit the North, and it’s very hard for them to access the dollars that they need to meet the housing demand in the North.”

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That said, Racine does not want to focus on the missteps of the other political parties in the race right now. With the ongoing trade war and more threats of tariffs potentially on the way at any point, Racine believes that national pride in the country we live in is more important now than ever.

“I don’t like and I don’t think it’s time for divisive politics, using all your airtime to criticize the Conservatives or the Liberals in regards to this trade war, it’s Team Canada and it’s elbows up. I think during this conflict, the NDP are going to be there making sure that the workers are looked after, making sure that the First Nations are being looked after.”

In regards to the ongoing trade war, the change that Racine would push for is to see the First Nations involved as well.

The majority of Racine’s legal work has been at his practice on the Muskeg Lake Urban Reserve. While all of his clients have been based out of Saskatchewan, he has also represented them at the Court of Appeal in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C.

Because of his time working with courts from around Western Canada and his time in the military, Racine believes he has the necessary skillset to improve life for people in Northern Saskatchewan.

While some voters may be hesitant to turn their votes towards the NDP because of their support of the Liberals over the course of the latest federal government, Racine says that people need to remember the positive changes the NDP was able to force through because of that coalition.

“I know it’s an issue for some voters, but the national dental program that Carney is trying to own, that was the NDP forcing that. The $10 a day daycare, the Pharmacare, that’s all NDP. Those three things made our country just a whole whole heck of a lot healthier and easier on families.”

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com