The race to fill the vacant constituency of Athabasca is heating up as the New Democrats have two people contesting for the nomination.
Long-time MLA Buckley Belanger resigned in August, in a failed bid to unseat Gary Vidal in the federal election.
Darwin Roy, a newcomer to politics, is battling former NDP MP for northern Saskatchewan Georgina Jolibois.
The Canoe Lake Cree First Nation member said he was raised on the land by his grandparents who taught him morals, values, and honesty. “I was raised kind of in between Beauval and Canoe Lake on the land. I was raised by my grandparents, where they taught me a lot of the morals and values that I live with today, and how to become an honest, responsible and accountable person,” said Roy.
Roy explained that the issues impacting the northwest region of the province are housing, mental health, wellness and addictions, improved highways, and greater economic prosperity.
“The NDP philosophy believe, is consistent with Northern Saskatchewan, morals, values, and traditions. And they’re also consistent with mine. And that’s just prevalent in the historical voting that has taken place where northern Saskatchewan has been an NDP stronghold,” explained Roy.
A request to interview Jolibois has yet to be returned. Voting online for the NDP candidate is open through Friday.
(Photo of Darwin Roy, courtesy of Facebook.)