Politics of Saskatchewan facts for kids
Coat of arms of Saskatchewan
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|
| Polity type | Sub-national administrative division (federated state) |
|---|---|
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | Saskatchewan Legislature |
| Type | Unicameral |
| Meeting place | Legislative building, Regina |
| Presiding officer | Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan |
| Lower house | |
| Name | Legislative Assembly |
| Presiding officer | Randy Weekes, Speaker |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of State | |
| Title | Lieutenant Governor |
| Currently | Russell Mirasty |
| Appointer | Canadian monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister |
| Head of Government | |
| Title | Premier |
| Currently | Scott Moe (Saskatchewan Party) |
| Appointer | Lieutenant Governor with the confidence of the legislature |
| Cabinet | |
| Name | Executive Council |
| Leader | Scott Moe |
| Appointer | Lieutenant Governor |
| Judicial branch | |
| Court of Appeal | |
| Chief judge | Robert G. Richards |
| Seat | Regina |
| Court of King's Bench | |
| Chief judge | Martel D. Popescul |
| Provincial Court | |
| Chief judge | James Plemel |
The Politics of Saskatchewan is about how the Canadian province of Saskatchewan is governed. Like other Canadian provinces, Saskatchewan is part of Canada's federal political system. It has a Lieutenant Governor, who represents the King or Queen. The Premier, currently Scott Moe, leads the Cabinet. Laws are made by a single group of elected officials in the Legislative Assembly.
Contents
A Look at Saskatchewan's Political Past
Early Days of Saskatchewan Politics
In its early years, the Saskatchewan Liberal Party was the main political group. They governed Saskatchewan for many years, from 1905 to 1929, and again from 1934 to 1944. There was a short time when James T.M. Anderson led a Conservative government from 1930 to 1934. This government was formed with help from the Progressive Party.
A notable event happened in 1935 during the Great Depression. People known as the On-to-Ottawa Trekkers, along with citizens of Regina, had a conflict with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). This event is known as the Regina Riot.
The Rise of the CCF and Medicare
In 1944, Tommy Douglas became the Premier. His government, the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), was the first socialist government in North America. Many of Douglas's elected officials (MLAs) came from rural areas and small towns.
The CCF government created provincial Medicare. This was a system where the government paid for everyone's medical insurance. This idea was so successful that it was later used across all of Canada. In 1961, Tommy Douglas left Saskatchewan politics to become the first leader of the federal New Democratic Party.
Recent Political Changes (1964 to Today)
After the CCF, its new name, the New Democratic Party (NDP), continued to be very important in Saskatchewan politics. Leaders like Douglas, Allan Blakeney, and Roy Romanow served as Premier for long periods. They also became well-known figures across Canada.
Over time, more people moved from farms to cities and towns. This changed Saskatchewan's economy from mainly farming to more city-based jobs. The NDP also changed its focus from rural issues to urban concerns. This meant the NDP started to represent voters in cities and towns more.
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party came back to power in 1964. Later, the Progressive Conservatives, led by Grant Devine, became the main rival to the NDP. They won a big victory against the NDP in 1982. However, the Conservatives lost popularity because of large government debts. Many of their elected officials were found to have misused public money. Because of these issues, the Progressive Conservative Party almost stopped running candidates in elections for a while.
Saskatchewan's Government Today
In the 1990s, a new party called the Saskatchewan Party was formed. It was created by members from both the Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals. This new party became the main opposition to the government. In the 2007 election, the Saskatchewan Party won and formed the government.
Today, the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is the official opposition in the province. The current Premier of Saskatchewan is Scott Moe, who leads the Saskatchewan Party.
Saskatchewan politics often shows a big difference between city and rural areas. Rural areas are usually more conservative, especially on social issues. The NDP gets most of its support from cities like Regina, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw. The Saskatchewan Party has won almost all the rural areas in southern and central Saskatchewan since 1999. However, to win the government, they had to change their image to appeal more to city voters.
Saskatchewan's Role in Federal Politics
Many important federal politicians from Saskatchewan have made a difference across Canada. These include Prime Minister John Diefenbaker and CCF/NDP leaders Major Coldwell and Tommy Douglas.
Currently, all 14 federal areas (called constituencies) in Saskatchewan are represented by members of the Conservative Party of Canada. This was true after the 2019 Federal Election. Before 2015, the areas around Regina and Saskatoon included large rural parts. But after changes in 2013, the city areas became mostly urban. This led to two New Democrats being elected in those cities in 2015. Now, Regina and Saskatoon are each divided into three areas that are almost entirely within the city limits.
Aboriginal Politics in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan has a large Aboriginal population compared to other provinces. In 2006, about 14.8% of the people identified as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit. Unlike the neighbouring province of Alberta, Saskatchewan does not have special land set aside as Métis Settlements.
Saskatchewan also has a history of important Aboriginal political leaders. Some First Nations leaders include Walter Dieter, Noel Starblanket, and David Ahenakew. First Nations groups are represented by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. Also, each First Nation has its own government structure. Most First Nations in Saskatchewan are Cree, but Saulteaux, Assiniboine, Dakota, and Dene groups are also found in some areas.
Important Métis leaders include Malcolm Norris, Jim Sinclair, and Clément Chartier. Métis people in the province are part of the Métis Nation - Saskatchewan. The Métis Nation has local groups, similar to how trade unions are organized.
Local Government in Saskatchewan
At the local level, land in Saskatchewan that is not Indian reserve or Crown Land is divided into rural municipalities and urban municipalities. Rural Municipalities have an organization called SARM, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities. This group helps them work with larger governments.
See also
- History of Saskatchewan
- List of premiers of Saskatchewan
- List of Saskatchewan general elections
- List of political parties in Saskatchewan
- First Nations in Saskatchewan
- Politics of Canada
- Political culture of Canada
- Council of the Federation
