November 10, 2011
volume 103 • issue 14 • thesheaf.com
Sheaf the
2011 Saskatchewan election results
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The University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912
Canadians vote for continuity in 2011 Sask. Party win the last in string of reelections for incumbents
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Brad Wall, Stephen Harper, Kathy Dunderdale and Dalton McGuinty. ISHMAEL N. DARO Editor-in-Chief The 2011 Saskatchewan provincial election caps off a great year for incumbent governments seeking re-election in Canada. All the elections this year have returned governing parties to power. The federal election in May started the trend by returning Stephen Harper’s Conservatives to power with a majority despite the strong last-minute performance by the New Democrats, led by the late Jack Layton. The other seven elections have kept pace, re-electing incumbents in Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon, Ontario and now Saskatchewan. The Northwest Territories don’t vote by party affiliation, but only five members of the 19-seat legislature are new, and only one incumbent was defeated at the ballot box in the October election. The successful parties of the
last year represent no single point on the political spectrum; indeed, political ideology was rarely a focus as left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties all returned to power. This string of re-elections in Canada is all the more surprising given the turbulent electoral climates abroad. Still dealing with the fallout of the 2008 global financial meltdown, several countries opted to turf their governments for fresh faces including those in Ireland, Denmark and Portugal. Other incumbents such as Spain’s socialists and Italy’s right-wing coalition government look set to topple over economic management as well. Meanwhile, Canada has largely been spared the economic hardships suffered abroad, and this may have led to the “steady as she goes” attitude of voters across the country. Although it’s not new for governments seeking re-election to preach continuity, that rhetoric has definitely been a mainstay of elections this year.
Stephen Harper largely ran on his economic record, arguing that a change in government could “jeopardize the recovery.” Ontario’s Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty also ran on economic prudence, as did Greg Selinger’s NDP in Manitoba and Robert Ghiz’s Liberals in P.E.I. Newly re-elected Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall ran a similarly cautious campaign, promising little in the way of new spending. “The worldwide economy is not a stable thing right now. We can’t be overspending,” he said on Monday after his party’s landslide victory over the NDP. “We’ve got to make sure that we’re fiscally responsible and I think that’s a powerful message from the campaign as well.” The Sask. Party’s win on Nov. 7, although historic in its scale, was not altogether surprising. Saskatchewan voters have rewarded most governments with a second term; the last one-term government was a conservative coalition that
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The successful parties of the last year represent no single point on the political spectrum; indeed, political ideology was rarely a focus as leftwing, centrist and right-wing parties all returned to power.
2&3
in this issue
Campus
Business students invest in the stock market.
Page 4
Life
Why living with your parents is awesome.
Page 6
Religion
Angry atheists should relax.
Page 7
UFC
UFC fighter Paul Daley’s fall from grace.
Page 13
Film
Johnny Depp back in the role of Hunter S. Thompson. was ousted in 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression. The Sask. Party received over 64 per cent of the vote, up about 13 points from four years ago. The NDP’s share of the popular vote dropped from 37 to 32 per cent. Voter turnout dropped from 76 in the last election to 66 per cent.
Page 14
Music
Toronto group Ohbijou talk about their music and their upcoming tour.
Page 16