A member of Saskatchewan’s New Democratic Party (NDP) executive says the impaired driving case of a former Saskatchewan Party minister could offer an opportunity to talk to voters about broader election issues in the coming months.
On Wednesday, Saskatchewan MLA Don McMorris pleaded guilty to an impaired driving charge. He was previously the deputy premier and a member of the Saskatchewan Party, before resigning after his arrest.
“Obviously any time you have a deputy premier with an ethical lapse like that, it’s going to be damaging to the party,” said David McGrane, who is a University of Saskatchewan political studies professor and NDP member.
“That’s an opening for the NDP.”
READ MORE: Former Sask. deputy premier Don McMorris pleads guilty to drunk driving
However McGrane cautioned that “you can’t run a campaign just on saying, listen the other guy’s really bad, and that’s it.” He said the case should be used to engage voters on issues like education and health spending.
“You can’t just run on, ‘we’re not them,’ you have to run on ‘we have something special, we have something unique,’” McGrane said.
The NDP won 10 seats in April’s provincial election; however there may be more voters now willing to hear their message. A recent Mainstreet Research poll found that party support increased from 32 per cent in June to 37 per cent in August with declared and leaning voters.
READ MORE: One-fifth of Sask. residents approve drinking and driving over short distances: Mainstreet poll
McGrane said he believes the NDP leadership race at the party’s convention next month could carry the momentum forward.
“What’s great about leadership races is they can revitalize parties and they can generate excitement and bring in new members and bring in new ideas,” McGrane said.
“I think we got the clear critique down. The vision going forward, we’re probably still working on a bit.”
The convention will run Oct. 21-23 at TCU Place in Saskatoon.
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