PINDER: Saskatchewan's unique election in which everybody won

The Saskatchewan provincial election is over, playing out as expected. The cities are strongly dominated by the NDP; rural Saskatchewan, which for this purpose includes Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Yorkton, is dominated by the Saskatchewan Party. It is a unique outcome in that, for the most part, almost everyone won.The Saskatchewan Party claimed its fifth consecutive term. The NDP, after a lengthy interlude, regained its credibility as a government in waiting. Most of the prognosticators were correct in their predictions, and the anti-free market editorialists at our two major papers retain a target for their incessant and biased negativity.The only real losers are the two supposedly right-wing parties that will be challenged to maintain their presence. There are also some high-caliber cabinet ministers who were punted by the growing strength of the NDP in Saskatoon and Regina. This includes, to my regret, my MLA Bronwyn Eyre, a smart, diligent, and quietly effective politician and cabinet minister.So now that the game of politics has played out, on to further discussion of the continuing substantive issues.First, healthcare. Everybody agrees it is a difficult issue. We can blame the MPs in the House of Commons, who in 1966 unanimously extended the original Saskatchewan plan from 1962. Their smug satisfaction did not contemplate the outcome we are experiencing today Unfortunately, it was always just a matter of time. For anything free, compulsory, government funded, operated by bureaucrats, union-dominated and an obvious political football, there is no other destination than failure.Is political lunch ever free?More than just a failure, it is a betrayal of the inability to fulfill promises made and funded for decades by taxpayers. Especially impacted are long paying senior citizens — those now in need of timely care instead face wait times or even a lack of access to doctors. It is well known that most health care services are consumed late in life. This problem has been exacerbated of course, just like housing and education, by unprecedented immigration. This is one of the primary reasons our country is such a mess. As a side point this does not deny the advantage of a strategic and moderate immigration policy fulfilling needs of Canadian citizens. Doctors and nurses are a current example.But with health care the worst is yet to come. Provincial governments are pledging to hire more nurses and doctors. These mostly come from other provinces in what will become a zero sum game. Canada’s underperforming health care system has become one of the least efficient and most expensive in the developed world, the inevitable outcome of the top down, central command and control, Soviet style approach. This after boasting for decades that our system is the best in the world, and more importantly superior to those grubby Americans who apply market principles to some of their medical needs. Imagine knowing your real costs of hospital, surgery, and other health care. How gauche, at least until capacity limitations deny access.A failing system is not to disparage the overworked and caring cadre of service providers. They are not the cause. They are also victims.Another big spending item and political issue of huge importance to the citizens of the province is education. Saskatchewan is among the top spenders in the country, yet everyone seems to be unhappy. Fortunately, there are alternative approaches. One which achieves positive outcomes in almost every other component of our economy is competition and choice. This would require political will, thoughtful structural reform, and skill to rebut the attacks from the opposition and the editorial side of our local newspapers.When there is choice for students, teachers who best meet parental and student expectations, and schools that are the most efficient, will gain enrollment. That's how markets work. Making students and patients into customers instead of costs would transform these important disciplines that are overwhelming provincial budgets.A difficult challenge, but leadership is the missing ingredient in our country — these issues are common across the land, not just in Saskatchewan. The Premier and the government will hopefully continue to stand firm in requiring parent awareness of gender issues, especially irreversible procedures. Fads come and go, especially for the young; it is not clear this is an enduring trend. First, do no harm.Back to the election. One of the reasons of the ascendancy of the NDP is its recent new centrist agenda. Avoiding past radical positions, it pledges to continue current practice in healthcare and education, for example, but supposedly better, and with more money. This does not jibe with the additional promise of no increased income taxes for four years. What would have made a new NDP government better at managing a system designed to fail, a government-based solution the NDP always favours?More spending combined with tax restraint sounds like more debt, already growing. How would a union friendly new government be better for education, especially since more union control will increase costs and reduce efficiency in education just as it has in health care over the decades. The onus is on the next Moe administration to effect significant change regarding the above and other social issues, and better “sell” them to a disgruntled electorate. Winning a sixth term means being the change agent, thereby repositioning the opposition as the party resistant to change. Regardless, the spending issues highlight the importance of the leadership of Premier Moe, in tandem with Alberta, to hopefully continue concrete steps to protect our critical industries. This includes, but is not limited to, oil and natural gas, agribusiness, and mining, especially potash which is the largest line item of provincial resource revenues. With COVID in the rearview mirror, a new federal government will bring sensible, strategic immigration, vision and revitalization. This is a pathway to an unprecedented sixth term — a growing and prosperous province and country. Be the new government in Saskatchewan.Many NDP core supporters do not support the solutions needed - examples include energy development, education choice, privately delivered health services within the system, and other market driven actions. The Saskatchewan Party can and should be the agent of change. Freedom is a foundation of prosperity; ever more government, the preferred approach of the NDP, undermines both.

PINDER: Saskatchewan's unique election in which everybody won

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