Carla Beck rallies Sask. NDP supporters at first leader’s dinner in 15 years

The Saskatchewan NDP brought back a tradition on Monday night that had been missing for 15 years.

Leader Carla Beck was greeted with standing ovations as she took the stage at the Bunge International Trade Centre in Regina, where roughly 1,000 supporters gathered for the party’s first leader’s dinner since 2011.

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Beck outlined her ambitions for the next provincial election, made a new health-care commitment and shared her thoughts on the election in British Columbia.

Speaking with reporters following the event, Beck said she was surprised by the reception.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” she said.

“There is a lot of excitement here in this room. A lot of people who really connected with the message that we were bringing forward.”

Beck said the evening brought together people from a variety of backgrounds, from communities all across Saskatchewan.

“It’s been a pretty exciting night for us tonight,” she said.

When asked why the party had gone so long without holding the event, Beck said she couldn’t entirely explain the gap, but pointed to the work her team has done since she became leader four years ago, adding that the dinner was an opportunity to bring the party’s message directly to supporters.

“We thought we’d put in the work and get her done,” she said.

“I understand this might be the largest event that we’ve had in over 20 years.”

With the next provincial election scheduled for 2028, Beck used the evening to tell supporters that the party has no intention of remaining in opposition.

“I’m going to let you in on a little secret. We do not plan to be in opposition for very much longer,” she told the crowd.

The NDP doubled its seat count in the 2024 provincial election, but fell short of forming government.

“We came close, but politics isn’t horseshoes,” she said. “The stakes are much, much higher.”

Beck said the NDP intends to spend the next two years continuing to propose policies and reaching out to Saskatchewan residents.

“There’s a choice in Saskatchewan now. It doesn’t have to be the way that it is right now,” Beck said following her speech.

“This is a province that can have a strong economy and still take care of the people of this province.”

Health care was another major focus of Beck’s speech, including a new commitment to establish community health advisory networks within the first 100 days of an NDP government.

Beck said the networks were originally promised when Saskatchewan moved to a single provincial health authority, but argued they were never established as planned.

She said community health advisory networks would give communities and health-care workers a greater voice in decisions affecting local services.

“I believe that promises should be kept,” Beck told supporters.

“I also believe that decisions in health care can only be made better with those front-line voices.”

The commitment builds on the NDP’s recently announced four-part primary-care plan, which proposes guaranteed access to primary-care teams, better connections to specialists, expanded rural and remote services and an integrated electronic health record.

When asked whether she was concerned the Saskatchewan Party might adopt her party’s proposals, Beck welcomed the possibility.

“They should steal them. These are things that Saskatchewan health-care workers and communities have been asking for for a very, very long time,” she said.

Beck criticized the provincial government’s record on health care and education, arguing that Saskatchewan residents are not receiving the services they need.

The dinner came just two days after the B.C. NDP lost a provincial election to the Conservatives, prompting outgoing premier David Eby to announce his resignation as party leader.

Beck said she contacted Eby following Saturday’s defeat.

“I sent a message to David Eby, just expressing, you know, thanks for his service in British Columbia,” she said.

“Those are tough nights, and you know I know there are a lot of things that he’s proud of, and certainly not the result that they were looking for there.”

Beck said the result in B.C. doesn’t make her concerned about the future of the Saskatchewan NDP.

“This is Saskatchewan, and we’re really focused on the things that we can do here in this province,” she said.

She pointed to the Saskatchewan NDP’s own experience following the 2024 election, saying the party returned to work despite falling short of forming government.

“The next day, as it always is the case, whether it’s there or it’s here, you get up and you keep working,” Beck said.

With the dinner behind her, Beck said her attention is now turning to the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly, which resumes sitting on Tuesday.

“Can’t wait to get into session tomorrow,” she said.