By Duncan Cairns-Brenner

ELECTION 2016: Chamber of Commerce All Candidate Forum focused on NDP and SaskParty

Mar 23, 2016 | 12:02 PM

Ironically, the Chamber of Commerce All Candidate Forum did not have all Battlefords candidates. SaskParty, NDP and Liberal candidates attended, while Green Party candidate Joshua Hunt did not appear Tuesday, March 22 at the Third St. Church.

Candidates fielded vetted questions from community members, ranging from specific policy implementation to overarching party ideology.

The main debate during the forum was between SaskParty incumbent Herb Cox and NDP challenger Rob Feist.

Cox had the advantage of being the incumbent, already well versed in specific policies his government had enacted during its tenure at the province’s helm. He easily answered specific questions on provincial water preservation policy, and addressed concerns about reduced numbers of healthcare training seats while the other two candidates floundered.

Feist, however, took on the role of ideologue, focusing on NDP rhetoric. He used his knowledge of the electorate to his advantage, citing numerous times the “thousands of doors” he had knocked on throughout the community as evidence of his connection to North Battleford and its voters.

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Although the Sask Party and the NDP are ideologically opposed on most issues, the two candidates were not afraid to agree on occasion. Both Feist and Cox agreed that Saskatchewan farmland should not be sold to private pension funds.       

Liberal candidate Dexter Gopher took somewhat of a sideline in the proceedings, as he was not as well versed in policy as his opponents, and was unable to answer some of the questions the other candidates faced.

Gopher focused on two points for the majority of the evening: the need for a pipeline and railway in the northern part of the province, and the dangers of outsourcing Saskatchewan’s resources and services to out of province companies.

There is another debate on Wednesday evening at the Dekker Centre that will have Feist, Gopher and Hunt, but not Cox.

 dcairnsbrenner@jpbg.ca