With the provincial election campaign now in full swing, the Liberal Party is looking to bring northern Saskatchewan residents into its camp.
In Cumberland, the Liberals are putting forwards a well-known name in many aboriginal circles.
George Morin said while working his career in economic development and human resources, he helped the public and private sector pioneer sensitivity towards First Nations people. He’s also a trapper who has been at the table for international talks on the fur trade.
“I’m not a new face in the Cumberland constituency,” he said.
Morin has run for political office before, but not under the Liberal banner. In the 2008 and 2011 federal elections he ran for the Green Party in the riding of Desnethe-Missinippi Churchill River. In the last provincial election he ran for the Green Party in the Prince Albert Carlton constituency.
This time around, Morin is saying he admires the sensitivity Liberal Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau shows towards aboriginal people. Morin said he wants to bring that in provincially as well.
Liberals have something to offer that the Sask. Party doesn’t, Morin said.
“Sometimes there’s friction when there’s national Liberals and provincial conservatives. And I think that’ll be a struggle and continue to be. It’s already shown its head that it’s a struggle with seeing eye to eye,” he said.
Currently, the NDP’s Doyle Vermette holds the seat in Cumberland. La Ronge Mayor Thomas Sierzycki is running for the Sask. Party, while Michael Lessard is the Green Party candidate.
In the Athabasca constituency, business consultant Michael Wolverine is facing off against incumbent Buckley Belanger with the NDP, the Sask. Party’s Phil Elliott and the Greens’ Max Morin.
Wolverine says the Liberals are an alternative to two parties that don’t do a good job in northern Saskatchewan.
“Saskatchewan Party has been going crazy going spending money like crazy and putting us in deficits so much and then on the other side you have the NDP party who’s been absolutely ineffective as an opposition,” he said.
Wolverine lives in Saskatoon, and Morin lives in Prince Albert.