U of S political scientist sees stark difference in NDP, Sask. Party spending promises

On Friday, the two main provincial parties unveiled their platforms going into the general election Oct. 26.

The Saskatchewan Party committed to spending roughly $850 million over the next four years, while the NDP is promising to spend $2.7 billion if elected.

Greg Poelzer is a professor of environment and sustainability at the University of Saskatchewan. He said there is obviously a stark contrast when it comes to the two platforms.

Poelzer told Gormley on Tuesday that this is the first NDP platform in years that actually looks like an NDP platform.

“If you can think about the previous two elections, a lot of the NDP supporters were not happy with the NDP platform because it looked like Sask. Party ‘light,’ rather than a ‘tax and spend’ kind of approach,” said Poelzer.

“I think the NDP supporters are going to like this and that’s going to matter a lot in this election because it’s all about turnout and this is something (NDP Leader) Ryan Meili can excite his base about and that’s going to help the NDP.”

Poelzer says a “tax and spend” platform such as the NDP’s relies on interest rates staying low for the next few years. With the amount of money in promises, it will be the middle class that pays for it.

“There aren’t enough wealthy people in Saskatchewan to tax enough to pay that down. It’s the regular Jane and Joe Citizen that’s going to be paying for this,” said Poelzer.

He said the Sask. Party seems to be taking the approach that it is being fiscally responsible.

“I think the platform promises are very, very modest,” said Poelzer. “Clearly they want to signal that they’re the party that has deficits under control, and indeed in the last year of their platform to be at a surplus.”

Poelzer says this is a different-looking platform from previous Sask. Party documents. He explains this one is more hopeful than detailed.

“There is a list of things that are aspirational, but not really a detailed or a laid-out plan,” said Poelzer. “In fairness to the NDP, they actually have a plan that’s organized so that contrast really stood out for me.”

Poelzer says he thinks we’re going to find out where Saskatchewan really is at in this election.

“I think there has never been a starker budget platform question probably in the last 15, 20 years in Saskatchewan than these two party platforms,” he said. “So we’re going to find out where Saskatchewan really lies on those questions.”