Sask. NDP looks at affordability as it refocuses campaign

The second official week of the election campaign marked new beginning for the NDP.

Four women have been named as candidates to replace the four who were either let go or resigned from the party. In most cases, inappropriate comments made in the past by the candidates were cited as reasons they were dropped.

Although NDP leader Cam Broten still won’t reveal what the comments were or why they “crossed the line”.

Asked again about the issue Monday, Broten wanted to keep the focus on the issues of the day.

“I did speak to that on the weekend in terms of when a line is crossed on certain topics,” he told reporters at a house in Regina. “For me it’s about listening to people, it’s about being out on the doorstep, it’s about speaking to the issues people care most about.”

On Monday the NDP spoke about affordability. It announced, if elected, it would return the lowest-cost bundle of utilities pledge that was a hallmark of Lorne Calvert’s last administration.

It will also raise the basic personal income tax exemption by $500.

That cost would be offset, in part, by the top three percent, or those earning $175,000 paying more.

Broten maintains those are the issue he wants to remain focused on.

“To be zeroed in on issues that matter most, for me that’s about cutting Sask. Party waste, that’s about helping families with affordable and that’s about fixing services that we want in this province.”

The Saskatchewan Party maintains customers in this province are second only to Manitoba when it comes to utility rates and estimate the lowest cost bundle would cost $595 million over the course of the next four years.