Buckley Belanger of the Saskatchewan NPD is elected in the riding of Athabasca.
Boundaries
The riding includes all areas in Saskatchewan north of Meadow Lake provincial park and west of the 106th parallel. It also includes the population to the west of Black Lake, and the communities around Sled Lake and Smoothstone Lake to the east of Meadow Lake provincial park.
Last Election
The Saskatchewan NDP’s Buckley Belanger defeated Saskatchewan Party candidate Phillip Elliott by over 1,100 votes. Turnout in the riding was 35.2 per cent.
History
Belanger was first elected to this riding as a Liberal in 1995, but switched to the NDP and ran in a 1998 byelection — where he received 94 per cent of the vote — and has won easily ever since.
Prior to that, the riding was held by the NDP’s Frederick Thompson from 1975 to 1995, and Liberal Allan Guy from 1960 to 1975.
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The riding has never been won by a progressive conservative or Saskatchewan party candidate.
Candidates
NDP: BUCKLEY BELANGER Incumbent
First elected in 1995 as a Liberal MLA, but left the party to join NDP in 1998, winning a byelection as an NDP member.
Was re-elected in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2016.
Deputy whip for the NDP, and critic for highways and infrastructure, SaskEnergy, SaskWater and the Water Security Agency.
Previously served as minister of northern affairs, environment, community resources and highways and transportation.
Saskatchewan Party: KELLY KWAN
Is a Dene-speaking Metis First Nations man.
Married with eight children and four grandchildren.
Kwan received his education through the Northern Teacher Education Program and has been teaching since 1989.
He currently lives in Turnor Lake with his family and enjoys boating, fishing, playing music, singing, and sports.
Green Party: LEROY LALIBERTE
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