Political hopefuls announce intentions

At least two people are seeking the nomination for Saskatchewan’s two main political parties in the Saskatoon-Fairview constituency after two-term MLA Jennifer Campeau announced she is leaving politics for the private sector.

Vicki Mowat, who lost to Campeau in the 2016 provincial election by a margin of just 152 votes, announced she’ll seek the New Democratic Party nomination.

Cameron Scott, who successfully beat Ward 4 incumbent Dan Danielson for a Saskatoon public school board seat, will run for the nomination for the incumbent Saskatchewan Party.

“What we have here are two fairly strong candidates who basically said, ‘We’re going to let members of this party know we’re interested,’” University of Saskatchewan political scientist Joseph Garcea said on Monday.

The date of the byelection has not been set.

Garcea said Scott’s knowledge of the education sector is an important tool in defending the Sask. Party’s recent cuts and changes in the sector, while noting Mowat came close to defeating a strong Sask. Party candidate in 2016 and may reassemble her campaign team quickly.

By getting their names out early, candidates are trying to establish themselves as the primary candidates, which may discourage others from entering the race later, he said.

“They’re not ambivalent about their running. They don’t have to be encouraged to run.

“They want to run and they’re confident that they can win.”

David Prokopchuk, who ran for the Progressive Conservative Party in the Saskatoon Meewasin byelection in March and got less than two per cent of the vote, has announced he’ll seek the nomination for the Saskatchewan PCs.