Georgina Jolibois, left, Darwin Roy, center and Jim Lemaigre. (Submitted photos)

By Derek Cornet

Provincial Politics

Athabasca candidates reach out to constituents on final days before byelection

Feb 11, 2022 | 5:15 PM

With Athabasca constituents heading to the polls for a byelection on Feb. 15, candidates are making one final push to garner enough votes to win the seat.

The byelection was triggered in August 2021 after long-time NDP MLA Buckley Belanger resigned to pursue an unsuccessful bid to be elected as a Liberal in the September federal election. La Loche mayor and former NDP MP Georgina Jolibois won the nomination for the NDP candidacy in December and, since then, she’s been campaigning against the Saskatchewan Party’s Jim Lemaigre and Independent Darwin Roy.

In the last month, Jolibois has traveled to nearly every community in the Athabasca constituency to hear from residents their thoughts and concerns. She said major concerns include wildfire policy, access to health care services, costs associated in travelling down south for appointments, mental health and addictions and the therapeutic support needed, recent changes to social assistance and highway conditions.

“When spring, summer and fall come, the weather and the ground is usually dry and make it feasible and easy for forest fires to begin,” Jolibois said. “There are huge concerns around the ‘Let It Burn’ policy. Their livelihoods are being impacted from the forests burning and the depletion of some animals by being burned.”

When it comes to the Sask. Party’s plan to end health restrictions in the province, Jolibois called the decision premature. She explained the Omicron variant has mutated, it is spreading in Saskatchewan and the Sask. Party is giving the false impression that the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

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“It is two years in the making, but COVID has its own plan and COVID is not gone and it’s still among us,” Jolibois said.

Former cop looking to turn Athabasca green

Jim Lemaigre has almost 14 years experience with the RCMP, and is currently the program manager for First Nations and Indigenous policing under the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. He, too, has spent a considerable amount of time recently on the campaign trail listening to the changes residents wants to see happen.

While communities do have specific issues, he said some of the common ones are highway conditions, access to long-term care for seniors, economic opportunities and providing a future for the region’s young people.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all of the people who are supporting me so far,” Lemaigre said, noting it is time the riding joins the party in power. “I think northwest Saskatchewan deserves this opportunity and I feel privileged that I’ve been asked and been supported so far for me to be the MLA, and to be the person with the voice for northwest Saskatchewan.”

Premier Scott Moe joined Lemaigre on Friday hosting several meetings in Buffalo Narrows and Île-à-la-Crosse. Lemaigre mentioned it was a chance for the premier to hear directly from local leaders and residents.

When it comes to the lifting of public health restrictions this month, he said he was in favour.

“My opinion is those were informed decisions,” Lemaigre said.

Roy provides alternative from established political parties

Not having the resources of the NDP or Sask. Party, Darwin Roy wasn’t able to travel as extensively as his rivals. He used other methods of communication to reach the communities he couldn’t reach and enjoyed listen to constituents. He unsuccessfully sought the NDP nomination against Jolibois in a close membership vote last year.

“I don’t feel like I was treated fairly when I was trying to be nominated by the NDP, but I’m not going to elaborate at this time,” Roy said. “I was off by 13 nominations, that’s 13 people. So, we had 215 to 202 I believe was the final tally. That really gave me encouragement that I knew that I had people believing in me and backing me up in terms of my potential to work with the people.”

Roy, who is employed as an educator, was also inspired to run as an independent after reading a book by former MP Jody Wilson-Raybould. He believes non-partisan politics is the way to go in northern Saskatchewan.

Regarding the lifting of health restrictions, Roy thinks it is too early and that the province is making the decision based on ideology and politics as opposed to science and health experts.

“Our premier made decisions based on what people are saying and not necessarily from the advice of health experts,” he said.

Roy believes the NDP and Sask. Party are both concerned about issues important to the party and not what is important to northern residents. As an independent, he wants to change that.

Advance polls are open at locations across Athabasca between Feb. 11 to 13 from noon to 8 p.m. Election day is Feb. 15.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno