Sask. Party will court Goodale

The Saskatchewan Party caucus had a pool predicting which party would take Monday’s federal election. Nobody even came close.

Although they didn’t always see eye-to-eye, Wall’s government had a relatively warm relationship with the federal Conservatives.

Now, the focus turns to relationships with the ruling Liberals.

In particular, Premier Brad Wall will look to Saskatchewan’s lone Liberal MP, Regina-Wascana representative Ralph Goodale, who Wall acknowledged Tuesday will hold “significant influence” in the new government.

Wall intends to meet with him “as soon as possible.”

And that’s fine with Goodale, who on Tuesday said he has “a pretty decent relationship” with Wall.

Goodale noted a long list of issues with which he’s worked with Wall’s government: immigration, BHP Billiton’s proposed takeover of Potash Corp., the First Nations University of Canada, several high-profile immigration cases and grain transport.

Though Goodale is mum about what job he might take in the new government, Wall said Tuesday that, “I expect it will be an important one.”

“Mr. Goodale will certainly be at the top of the list in terms of ensuring that relationship is strong, and I hope to work to develop a strong bilateral relationship with the new prime minister,” he said.

No matter who’s in power, Wall said, “our job is to work in the interest of Saskatchewanians.”

“Saskatchewan people now expect, I think, for the partisan considerations to be laid down, and for the business of Saskatchewan to be properly represented at the federal level.”

Goodale said one of the messages from Monday’s election was that the public is weary of the “bitterness” that’s dominated politics over the last decade — and wants a change.

That said, “there won’t be 100-per-cent agreement all of the time — and I don’t think anybody would expect that,” he added.

Top of Wall’s mind are the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and pipelines.

In what could be perceived as a jab at Ontario’s automotive industry, Wall said that despite severe economic pressure on the oil industry, “you have not heard the energy sector call for a buyout, as has been the case from other sectors in Canada when they’ve had some difficulty.”

“All we want is for this country to approve pipelines ... so we can get our product to market and can maximize the value we should be getting for our oil,” Wall said, adding he hopes the Justin Trudeau government will “help” with that.

The economy, health-care funding, equalization payments, First Nations education funding and addressing Canada’s — and Saskatchewan’s — infrastructure deficit are also issues playing on Wall’s mind.

While he’s not the biggest fan of more premiers’ meetings to deal with those issues, Wall said if there is “a results-oriented point” to the meetings — and not just “meetings for the sake of meetings” — then it “makes sense.”

As for that pesky rumour that Wall wants to take the helm of the federal Conservatives, the premier quashed it outright on Tuesday, saying “it’s flattering ... but, no, the answer is, ‘No.’ ”