‘Chevy’ counting on high-revving horsepower to win leadership

It was doubtful any other Saskatchewan Party leadership contenders were going to out-work or out-organize Ken Cheveldayoff.

With all due respect to Ford Motor Company, nothing runs like a Chevy.

“I guess it comes from my upbringing,” Cheveldayoff said in a recent interview. “I was taught, ‘You can do anything you want to do. You can be anything you want to be.’

“If I work hard enough, I can do anything.”

Neither friend nor foe in politics have ever accused the former Crown Investment Corp., Metis and First Nations relations, environment and parks, sport, recreation and culture minister of anything less. Cheveldayoff said he’s logged 18-hour days, seven days a week since entering the race Aug. 28 and has “put on as many miles and been to as many communities as (chief rival Alanna Koch) has” notwithstanding that she did not have the same commitments to the legislature during the fall sitting.

It’s a work ethic his Blaine Lake parents instilled in both him and his brother Kevin — general manager of the Winnipeg Jets, and one of the immediate family members he’s leaned upon during this campaign. One of the first Sask. Party urban MLAs elected in 2003, Cheveldayoff said it’s also a strong underpinning of his “rural roots; urban strong” campaign.

However, it’s also been interpreted by some as a sign of unnerving, excessive political ambition.

Cheveldayoff says he doesn’t know where concerns about excessive ambition to replace Premier Brad Wall have come from, but points to his willingness to take on the heaviest cabinet load in the early days of the Sask. Party government and his equal willingness, when asked to, to step back from cabinet and take on the role of government house leader in 2014 as evidence of his loyalty to both his leader and his party.

“I’ve never been worried about the perception of others,” he said. “Those that know me well will know my intentions are always well-known ...

“There is no reason for suspicion. I am who I am.”

Like all others in this race, Cheveldayoff sings the praises of Wall, who he has known since his University of Saskatchewan days and with whom he served as an executive assistant in the Grant Devine Progressive Conservative administration. Where he differs from some others is his acknowledgment from the beginning that life will have to change for the Sask. Party when Wall is replaced on Jan. 27.

“It’s not going to be a mirror of Brad Wall, because nobody is going to fill Brad Wall’s shoes,” he said. “It’s got to be someone who can seize the mantle from Brad Wall.”

He has called for the sale of the Global Transportation Hub, and an age requirement of 25 for purchasing marijuana. His is a campaign that’s drawn criticism for setting up its own polling stations, allegedly using the federal Conservative voting lists and gaining the support of controversial federal Conservative MP Brad Trost to help mobilize the pro-life vote.

The interjection of prolife group RightNow into the campaign by ranking Sask.

Party leadership candidates and Cheveldayoff’s initial suggestion he would “support anything that protects the unborn child” raised eyebrows. But notwithstanding, Cheveldayoff did not champion this issue in cabinet or caucus, he makes no apologies for his strong stance in this leadership race.

“I have always been pro-life,” he said. “I have never worn it on my sleeve.”

What perhaps does come easier to Cheveldayoff is talk of strategy in this race, where he says he’s taken a different tack by not asking Sask. Party voters for secondor third-ballot considerations — an approach he says has been well-received by voters. That said, he believes he does have later-ballot support from other hopefuls, including those initially supporting Scott Moe and Gord Wyant.

And regardless of outcome, Cheveldayoff says he can be confident that he’s worked as hard as he could.