Lac La Ronge chief will seek Liberal nomination A3
A prominent northern Saskatchewan politician is planning to run in the federal election next year, giving the Liberal Party of Canada what one political scientist described as a legitimate “star candidate” in a winnable seat.
Tammy Cook-searson, who has been a band councillor and chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band for more than two decades, on Tuesday announced her intention to seek the nomination in the Desnethe-missinippi-churchill River constituency.
The seat is currently held by the NDP’S Georgina Jolibois, a former mayor of La Loche, who defeated Liberal Lawrence Joseph by 82 votes and incumbent Conservative Rob Clarke by 1,214 votes in a tight three-way race during the 2015 federal election.
In an interview on Tuesday, Cook-searson said she was encouraged to run by people inside and outside the Liberal Party, and wants to build on the party’s success, particularly in areas of health care and education in the north.
“I want to be able to build on my experience. I’ve been in band politics now for 21 years, and I want to be able to build on my experience, to work on the issues of the north, the Far North and the rural areas,” she said.
Cook-searson served as a band councillor from 1997 to 2005, and was elected chief of the northern community 13 years ago — a position she has held since. She also serves as president of Kitsaki Management Ltd. Partnership.
The Liberals have a long history of recruiting prominent people from outside politics, and Cooksearson’s decision to run in the riding is the equivalent of a bigcity mayor opting to seek a federal nomination, according to a University of Regina political scientist.
While opposition to the federal carbon pricing plan and the current government’s struggle to deliver on First Nations issue may be impediments, candidates often are more important than their party, in large but tight-knit northern ridings, Jim Farney said.
“Here is a very much local notable who’s got a lot of experience as a chief … coming together with a party that’s looking to include Indigenous Canadians in its electoral coalition and that really does care about having a more or less gender-equal caucus and cabinet.”
It’s unclear who will challenge Cook- Searson for the nomination. Liberal spokesman Parker Lund said the party has been approached by “a variety” of people.
The federal election is set for Oct. 21, 2019.