liberaltimes Saskatchewan Liberal Association website: www.saskliberal.ca Saskatchewan Liberals connect with Canadians Long days filled with baseball practice, or reading outside, or eating Saskatchewan beef on the summer BBQ circuit are quickly coming to a close. Many Liberals took part in Centennial Homecomings, family reunions, and weddings throughout the heat of July and August. Those events let us get together, and build new friendships and renew old acquaintances. It was good to connect with family and friends. Continued on page 3 Provincial Leader David Karwacki Saskatchewan a “have” province An excerpt from “Getting the Job Done…For Saskatchewan” “As Saskatchewan’s Minister in the Government of Canada (and especially now as the first federal Finance Minister from Saskatchewan since 1939), I always want to secure productive federal investments in and for this province – to promote economic growth and opportunity… So we need to concentrate on how to make more things go right for Saskatchewan in the first place – economic growth, investment, new business development, greater productivity, competitiveness, innovation and new jobs. These are the things that can propel us beyond some inadequate status quo, to a Prime Minister Paul Martin and Deputy PM Anne new kind of future – not boxed in by history or geography, distance or climate, politics McClellan congratulate Finance minister Ralph or pessimism. Goodale on his most recent budget. Continued on Page 3 In this issue: New Deal for Cities 4 Saskatchewan municipalities will benefit from more than $147 million, over five years, in federal gas tax funding to be used for municipal infrastructure projects. Convention 2005 5 The annual SLA convention is coming up in November. Check inside for registration information. Fall 2005 liberaltimes Exciting times ahead, says SLA president Mark November 4th to 6th down on your calendar The NDP continues to show the lack of leadership as this will be the Annual Saskatchewan Liberal that has characterized this government since the depar- Association convention. This is our first convention since ture of Romanow. They react to media stories, and February 2004, and comes at a very exciting time for notwithstanding the highest revenues ever recorded by a Saskatchewan Liberals. Government in Saskatchewan, nothing gets better. Roads continue to deteriorate, medical waiting lists are We will almost certainly have a Federal election just as long, and promised property tax reliefs are appar- sometime within the next six to nine months. Polls are ently held in abeyance to bribe us in the next election. indicating we have regained a strong leadership position Frank Proto, nationally. The strength of Liberal support in SLA President Liberals will clearly be a BIG factor in the next elec- Saskatchewan and Manitoba is at one of the highest lev- tion. This convention will focus on policy and ideas. We els in many years. If we work hard, Saskatchewan can elect four or five want your input on types of issues you believe our Liberal Party should additional Liberal Members of Parliament to help our Honourable be setting as priorities in upcoming election campaigns. We need your Ralph Goodale in Ottawa. We have nominated candidates in most input to help us develop a strong platform to promote principles of Federal ridings.The convention will provide everyone an opportunity to Liberalism across Saskatchewan. meet our very strong team. We will also be asking for approval of a new Party Constitution at In Saskatchewan, people continue to express the view they want this convention. Recent changes in legislation necessitates political to see David Karwacki, our very capable Leader, and more Liberals in parties become more “member driven” and certain aspects of our cur- Legislature. Recent polls show the Saskatchewan Party is “stuck” at a rent Constitution require our attention. level of support similar to that obtained in the past two elections. A new leader and policy statements have the Saskatchewan Party Hope to see everyone at our convention in Saskatoon this bouncing from left to right on many issues. This confuses voters and November! builds on the mistrust voters displayed toward the Saskatchewan Party in the past. Federal ministers meet with Ag leaders The beauty of the Qu’appelle Valley in the heart of Canadian agri- Godfrey (municipal infrastructure programs), and John McCallum (rev- culture was a great setting for Saskatchewan farm leaders to meet with enue). Liberals from across Canada to talk about agriculture issues. The farm groups were represented by a cross-section of producers The roundtable was part of Finance Minister Goodale’s ongoing and rural leaders, including Brian Ross, SK Stock Growers; Neil Hardy of efforts to keep his ear to the ground on what’s happening at the farm SARM; Sinc Harrison, Farmer Rail Car Coalition; Terry Hildebrand of gate. Following the lively discussions chaired by Dr. Red Williams, there APAS; Emile Marquette of the Dairy Farmers; Garth Patterson of Sask. was a large, town-hall style reception at the Lumsden communiplex, Pulse; Florian Possberg from Big Skye Farms; Brad Wildeman with the hosted by federal candidate Gary Anderson (Regina-Lumsden) along Canadian Cattlemen’s Association; Germaine Dauk with Pulse Canada, with candidate Allyce Herle. Federal Liberal Caucus Chair Andy Savoy Lester Lafond, who serves as the Chair of the First Nations Agricultural thanked the crowd for the prairie hospitality. Council of SK. Agricultural leaders, representing over 20 groups from across the Also that day, Minister McCallum made an announcement to help province, voiced concerns around CAIS, supply-managed farm indus- keep rural Post Offices open as an economic anchor for communities, tries, and on-going agricultural trade issues. They were able to speak as part of the Liberals rural development initiative. directly to Ministers Goodale, Andy Mitchell (farm programs), John 2 liberaltimes Goodale optimistic • Continued from Page 1 In this Centennial Year in Saskatchewan, we need to rekindle the same ambitious “can- do” spirit that was there when this province first joined Confederation in 1905 – the same vision and determination that made Saskatchewan grow quickly to become the third-largest province in the country by 1929. Saskatchewan can tackle bold new ideas, for example about developing our precious water resources. About pipelines and reservoirs. About the wealth that can flow from water-based economic develop- ment. About drought-proofing and growing Saskatchewan like never before. We can pursue world-class energy development. For the smart production and use of our valuable hydrocarbons, of course. Prime Minister Paul Martin at the welcoming reception for the national caucus. Martin is But also wind and solar power. Small shown here with Saskatchewan federal campaign co-chair Leslie Anderson-Stodolka and hydro. Ethanol and bio-fuels. And yes, ura- the president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Mayor Michael Coleman nium – with the richest reserves and the best environmental science on the planet. Sask. welcomes federal caucus We can implement an innovation blue- • Continued from Page 1 print for Saskatchewan advancing our own Saskatchewan Liberals deepened our national connections with our Canadian family this homegrown brain-power, skills and learn- August, when our province -- through the hard work and superb organization of Finance ing, world-calibre research, and the capabili- Minister Ralph Goodale – played host to the federal Liberal national caucus. ty to commercialize new ideas. We must Cabinet ministers, M.P.’s, Senators, and the Prime Minister fanned out across the province not be mere spectators in this knowledge- to listen to Main Street, Saskatchewan. They were really impressed with prairie hospitality. based, technology driven world. To the many volunteers and staffers who made the visit such a success: A job well done! We can also stimulate the new equity Visitors from across Canada during this Centennial summer made clear one thing to me: capital sources, the human talents and the Saskatchewan is interconnected to the rest of the country. We cannot be isolationist in our thinking. The genius of Canada and of Saskatchewan is best summarized by our provincial public infrastructure necessary to broaden motto: from many peoples, strength. the range of what we can succeed at in rural Saskatchewan – that means more Isolationism does not work. Too many things can divide us in our everyday lives. More than ever, it seems politics tries to divide urban from rural; aboriginal from non-aboriginal; and value-added processing beyond just raw business from labour. Liberals reject that kind of politics. Saskatchewan Liberals are commodity production (as is so desperately working to bridge those divides. needed now in the beef industry). As you prepare for the changing of the season, please take time to make a difference in I am an optimist about Saskatchewan! your community, and reach out to build a new connection. Coming together, we can work to build one Saskatchewan. 3 liberaltimes New Deal for cities and communities Before an electrical storm on the open prairie, the air practi- cally vibrates. The Tuesday Welcoming Night Reception for the federal Liberal Caucus had that kind of electric atmosphere. On August 23, over 1,200 guests from across Saskatchewan and Canada packed the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts to min- gle with Liberal caucus members: M.P.’s, cabinet ministers, and Prime Minister Paul Martin. Both the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ralph Goodale captivated the crowd that filled the balcony and the foyer with rousing speeches about the importance of building strong com- munities in Canada. The presence of Mayors from across Canada showed Saskatchewan Liberal connectivity to the rest of the coun- try. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister announced the Saskatchewan portion of The New Deal for Cities and Communities. In the words of the Prime Minister: Saskatchewan municipalities will receive more than $147 million, over five years, in federal gas tax funding.