Daily Herald Contributor
Former RM of Canwood councillor Bernard Lalonde is looking to make the jump to provincial politics after announcing his bid to represent Progressive Conservative Party in Saskatchewan Rivers, north of Prince Albert.
Lalonde said the province needs a change from the current Saskatchewan Party government, but the NDP and Saskatchewan United Party are not up to the challenge.
“It is time to make a change,” Lalonde said in an interview with the Herald. “It is time to no longer support parties that want to further tax an overburdened system and keep up spending that will put us into more debt.”
Lalonde said he’s excited to represent the Progressive Conservatives. The party is running 12 candidates in Saskatchewan, and just one in the Prince Albert area, but Lalonde said any PC MLAs will work hard to hold the new government accountable.
If the PCs hold the balance of power, Lalonde said, they would focus on cost of living issues like taking the PST off restaurant meals, home insurance, and children’s clothing, among other things.
On local issues, Lalonde said he supports building a new homeless shelter in Prince Albert, something he said would benefit the whole area. As MLA, he also said he would work to ensure residents found guilty of crimes are not allowed back on the streets so easily.
Lalonde accused previous Sask. Party governments of making some bad decisions over the last couple years, especially when it comes to taxation and spending policies.
He said Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan Leader Rose Buscholl is focused on increasing homebuilding, aiding home buyers, and improving general family affordability-has numerous grants, tax breaks, and programs to help in these areas.
The PCs have promised to advocate for an increased minimum wage, a $15,000 small business grant to pay for energy efficient upgrades, and a Saskatchewan Peoples Affordable Housing Plan, which includes a PST rebate for all new home construction, and up to $15,000 for to build more energy efficient homes. The $15,000 grant can also be applied to renovations.
Lalonde is one of four candidates running in Saskatchewan Rivers. He faces incumbent Nadine Wilson (Saskatchewan United Party), military veteran and lawyer Doug Racine (NDP), and former RCMP officer, reeve, and small business owner Eric Schmalz.
Election Day is Monday, Oct. 28.
