Hermanson steps down
Predicts big things for Sask Party
by Steven Kiser
the Carillon

It is less than a month after the provincial election and already the Saskatchewan Party is facing profound changes. With Elwin Hermanson stepping down as leader of the party, the future of the Sask Party remains open to speculation.

In speaking with Hermanson two things become very clear; while he is viewing the result of the election in a positive light, there is also an obvious disappointment to it as well. “I realize that the expectations were high and my expectations were high too, that we were going to be successful,” says Hermanson.

He adds, “When you fall short of expectations you have to review who did what, and quite frankly, I am the leader. When we fell short, I felt it was in the best interest of the party to step aside.”

There is speculation amongst people, both inside and outside of the party, who will be chosen to lead the opposition party. Members of the Sask Party that have been mentioned are Brad Wall, Ken Krawetz, Jason Dearborn, Donna Hanpaven, Brenda Bakken, Doreen Eagles and June Draude as well as Ken Cheveldayoff, Ted Merriman and Don Morgon, who won their MLA positions in Saskatoon.

In order to dispel rumours, Hermanson adds, “I know that Pat Fiacco, the mayor of Regina, has announced that he is not seeking the leadership.”

While the Sask Party’s annual convention takes place in February, it is up to the party’s executive council to decide when the new leader will take office. According to Hermanson, the most likely time for the leadership vote will be in the fall, but he admits that the decision is ultimately left up to the party. “There are some that suggest it should be moved up to June, and there are others that feel it should be left longer; it should occur in 2005,” Hermanson states.

As for the well-publicized debate surrounding the Crown corporations, Hermanson feels that the NDP and the public misunderstood the Sask Party’s stance on the issue. “The [Saskatchewan] party’s policy was one that we not take an ideological position on the Crowns,” remarks Hermanson.

He continues,“We made it clear that there was a focus of the four major crowns (Saskpower, Sasktel, SGI, and SaskEnergy) that we would change.

“We would remove them from the out-of-province and international [investors] that they had committed themselves to.” While Hermanson lobbied that the Sask Party had no intentions of selling the major crowns, he did make mention of the fact that the smaller market crowns would be open to investors.

“That meant changes to the four major crowns, and also meant significant changes or even the sale of some of the non-core crown corporations,” admits Hermanson.

Mr. Hermanson goes on to chastise the NDP with regards to the Crown corporations. “The NDP position is that under no circumstances would they sell the crowns, but they don’t live according to what they speak.”

Hermanson continues, “they in fact have sold crown holdings and they have even put up major crowns for sale.”

Despite the obvious disagreements, Hermanson decrees that the Sask Party has plans to work with the NDP on certain issues and to continue work on collaborative efforts already in progress. “We have been very co-operative in trying to find solutions to the [Mad Cow Disease] crisis, which has impacted the export of live beef to the United States,” Hermanson says.

In the case of parliamentary disputes, Hermanson attests that it is necesary for the functionality of the house as well as the province. “Even in opposition when we oppose the government the reason we oppose is to cause them to reconsider what they’ve done and perhaps make changes,” asserts Hermanson.

He continues, “When the NDP were going to increase the fee substantially for long term [health] care, we created a real ruckus, and I would suggest that while the NDP didn’t appreciate it at the time, it was certainly good for the province.”

Although Elwin Hermanson’s time as leader of the Sask Party is drawing to a close, he feels that the time for the Sask Party is still to come.

“The chances of a Saskatchewan Party government after the next election are higher because the demand for change will grow,” Hermanson suggests, “it becomes much more clear that if change is wanted, the Liberals can’t deliver on that change.”