During the 2024 provincial election MBC News will be reaching out to all candidates in the northern ridings for individual interviews. The following is a transcript of the interview with NDP hopeful Jordan McPhail who is running in the Cumberland constituency.
*Note – at the time of this publication, MBC News has reached out to all other candidates in the riding, but has not yet heard back on an interview request.
The following is the interview with McPhail. The audio of the interview can be heard here.
MBC News – Just to jump into things, Jordan, the first question I’ll ask you is why did you decide to run-in this provincial election for the NDP in the Cumberland constituency?
McPhail – So, I’ve I’ve been born and raised in the, La Ronge area, proud Lac La Ronge Indian band member. And, you know, as they say, it, takes a village to raise a child. And, for the last, 8 years, I had the honor of serving as a municipal councilor here, and give back to the community that has helped raise me. And, you know, I’ve been very proud of of the the work that I’ve done at the municipal table. And when Doyle, our long time hardworking NDP MLA, decided to retire and the opportunity to serve in this capacity came up, I had spoke with some constituents and asked if they would be willing to support me in in this role. And after having, conversations with people that would, hopefully be my constituents come October 28th, went in a in a positive direction I decided to put my name forward for the Saskatchewan NDP and, what an honor it’s been to be able to go across this northern constituency and talk to folks. Hopefully, I’ll earn the support and trust on October 28th.
MBC News – The cost of living in the province has skyrocketed in recent years, especially in the North where prices were already high. What would you do if elected to help Northerners with the cost of living?
McPhail – So this is something I’m hearing every single day on the doorstep, whether I’m in Hall Lake, Cumberland House, right here in my home community of La Ronge. Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan party has failed Northerners in keeping their, costs low. Their lives have gotten consistently more and more expensive and I’m really proud of the plan that we have here to address the affordability crisis in Northern Saskatchewan. When people fuel up here in Northern Saskatchewan, whether it be their boat or their vehicle, their quads, this isn’t just to get to work. A lot of our people in Northern Saskatchewan are First Nations and Metis and this is a way of life to hunt and fish to provide food to their tables. And so for me, for the folks that stop at the grocery store, we’ve got the plan to cut Scott Moe’s PST on ready to eat grocery items, making their lives more affordable if they have to stop at the grocery store and if they decide to go out and hunt and fish like we’ve traditionally done in Northern Saskatchewan to provide food on the table, we’re going to suspend the gas tax that they have each and every time that they fuel up to go and provide for their family as well. So I know that we’ve got a plan that’s going to help Northern Saskatchewan people put food on the table and and make their lives more affordable and not more expensive like this government has done to them.
MBC News – Education continues to be a top priority for many Northerners when voting. If elected, how would you support education in the province, specifically in Northern Saskatchewan?
McPhail – This again is something that we’re hearing, from every single parent, teacher, student, as we work across the northern constituency. Right now, Saskatchewan is in the last place in education funding and I’m really proud of the fact that our team has made the commitment to put $2,000,000,000 back into the education budget, taking us from worst to first, and getting us back on track to providing exemplary education, not only in Northern Saskatchewan, but across the entire province. And so for me, when I’m looking at the conversations that I have with teachers, with students, with parents that have kids going to school, they know the Saskatchewan NDP is committed to getting us back on track and they know it’s time for change. They know that the Saskatchewan Party and Scott Moe has failed the education system and they know it’s time for change.
MBC News – And what were your thoughts on last year’s, teachers strike with the province?
McPhail – For myself, I had the honor of walking alongside, teachers, students, educational assistance when the when the strike was here. And I’ve I’ve heard their stories, and I know these stories because I have 2 growing girls and I want to build an education system that is going to serve them and their fellow students, not only here in Northern Saskatchewan, but across our province and I know that our team is committed to making that change. They know that Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan party cannot be trusted to get them out of last place because they’re the ones who put them in last place in education funding. And so when I was walking along that strike line, it was, like I said, an absolute honor to hear those stories. I know the the struggles that they’re facing, and I know that I’m ready to deliver the changes that they’ve, trusted me to bring, if given the opportunity to serve as their MLA on October 28th.
MBC News – For many Northerners, access to health care is a major concern. How would you plan to support Northerners in their pursuit of health care, many of whom must travel 100 of kilometers to see their nearest service provider?
McPhail – That’s a great question. I’ve travelled those 100 of kilometres that people would have to travel to see the nearest service provider. Talking with healthcare workers, there’s vacancies from mental health and addiction supports to dental programs to just the front-line care nurses, across Northern Saskatchewan and they know that it’s been Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party that has, broken our healthcare system and they know that the Saskatchewan NDP has a plan to fix that. They know it’s time for change. And so for me, just yesterday, I was in, the community of Hall Lake, and I was talking to a gentleman that had had said that, you know, if I have a heart attack and I call an ambulance, I’m an hour away from the ambulance even getting to me. And so we hear these stories and we know that there are many challenges facing people to access healthcare in Northern Saskatchewan. And again, I’m proud of the work that the Saskatchewan NDP has done to address those issues and and has a real plan that we hope to put in action if given the opportunity to serve the province as their government on October 28th.
MBC News – In recent years, indigenous groups have raised concerns over policies passed by the provincial government they say fail in a duty to consult and accommodate indigenous peoples. These include policies such as the sale of Crown Lands and the Saskatchewan First Act. What are your thoughts on these policies, and what would your plan be to prioritize duty to consult policies if elected?
McPhail – To me, there there is no question on on who is at the forefront of, honouring and respecting the treaty and inherent rights in Saskatchewan. When we have MLAs like Betty Nippy Albright out of Saskatoon Centre that has stood up in the house calling on this government to pass a duty to consult framework that honours and respects treaty and inherent rights. We are the party that has been at the forefront of of honouring and respecting treaty and inherent rights. While the Saskatchewan party and Scott Moe is working slowly and surely to try and pull those treaty rights away from folks, it is the NDP that has always stood firm in working alongside First Nations and Metis people to pass duty to consult framework and policies that honor and respect the treaties. So there is no question for me. Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan party cannot be trusted to uphold and honor and respect treaty and the Saskatchewan NDP can.
MBC News – Would you push the provincial government to make National Day For Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th a statutory holiday in the province?
McPhail – Yes. It is past time.
MBC News – Northern infrastructure continues to be a concern for many in the north. How would you lobby for Northerners to bring better roads and access to northern communities if elected?
McPhail – Another great question. I’m sure that, the Saskatchewan party candidate in this area is gonna be travelling the same highways that I have, and he will know that the broken promises from 2016 for better highways in Saskatchewan cannot be seen better than during this campaign. As I travel across the northern parts of the province, I see the failed infrastructure that this government has created and I know that the Saskatchewan NDP can fix that. We’ve said it’s as easy as 123 up in our Cumberland constituency with the road to Cumberland House, Highway 123. We are going to fix the road. Simple. So for me, I know that we’ve got a plan.
We need to be given the opportunity to put that plan into action and elect the Saskatchewan NDP government on October 28 to fix the many roads and infrastructure challenges that we have in Northern Saskatchewan. We have billions and billions of dollars being trucked across these roads, whether it be uranium, gold, forestry and the people of Northern Saskatchewan feel like they deserve some of that money back, in investments in their healthcare. When those companies are crossing the road, to earn money, our residents are spending money by the wear and tear on their vehicles that this government has created in Northern Saskatchewan. If they were committed to better highways and infrastructure, they wouldn’t have in their last budget coming into this election, cut $16,000,000 from the Northern transportation budget. We see the northern infrastructure, northern highways as a place of opportunity and that northerners are are worth the investment, in their highways and infrastructure.
MBC News – Many experts have said Saskatchewan is currently in a mental health and addictions crisis. What do you feel the root causes are for this crisis, and how would you aim to address these issues?
McPhail – Another great question. You know, when I go door to door, in this election and even in my previous role as a municipal councilor, when we go to places like SUMA, you would hear from leaders not only in Saskatchewan and not only in Northern Saskatchewan, but across Saskatchewan talk about, the the many challenges that they face. And I just find that in Northern Saskatchewan, the challenges that we face, especially in in the affordability crisis that we’re in, is, families are pushed deeper and deeper into poverty.
And so we we see that there’s many issues with poverty, with the intergenerational traumas that are faced due to the residential schools. And, you know, our party is willing to stand in the legislative building and apologize for the provinces role in residential schools. And furthermore to that, the access to safe and affordable housing is another key component to getting people back to a path of healthiness and getting them the supports that they need. And the final thing I’ll say is that I know our party also has a plan to grow your own healthcare workers and we have many great education facilities in Northern Saskatchewan and working alongside those educational facilities and working with northerners that when we say you’re worth the investment, we want you to be able to provide for the communities that have raised you and provide the care that so many people are needing. And so the grow your own healthcare strategy is another one that I am proud to stand behind in the election year and hope that we get to put all of these plans into action on October 28th if given the opportunity to serve as government here in the province of Saskatchewan.
MBC News – Saskatchewan has seen a massive rise in homelessness across the province in recent years. How would you work to address the housing crisis and make sure more people in this province have a safe place to live?
McPhail – I think that there’s no question that Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan party has turned a blind eye to homelessness in Saskatchewan. When I was working as a municipal councilor here, obviously in the town of La Ronge, we’ve had our fair share of homelessness and the issues that come with it. And despite the best efforts of our local government here, we felt like the province wasn’t at the table willing to discuss it. They’ve downloaded this responsibility to people that do not have the resources, the expertise to be able to provide that and I know the Saskatchewan NDP has a plan to get people on a positive path forward that they’re going to get the resources that they need to the front lines and get these people back to work and on that positive path forward, to get their feet back underneath them, get a house over their head, and and provide, provide them with safe and affordable shelter and housing.
MBC News – And final question here, Jordan. As residents in the Cumberland constituency head to the polls on October 28th, why do you think they should select your name as the person to represent them at the legislative assembly going forward?
McPhail – So for myself, I know that we’ve, we’ve been honored, to have Doyle Vermette serve us for the last 16 years in our area. He’s been one of the hardest working MLAs that I have seen. We have the largest constituency and, we know it’s a challenge to be able to provide, to be able to provide leadership to every single one of our communities. But I think it’s something that the Saskatchewan NDP has done extremely well in Northern Saskatchewan. We are one of the hardest working constituencies. I know that I am no stranger to hard work. I’m going to be up and down the road listening to folks.
And, you know, as, as I’ve been taught, I have 2 ears and one mouth for a reason. I’m going to listen twice as much as I speak. I’m going to get out to every community and have the conversations with people, whether they are good, hard or, in different conversations, they need to happen. These voices need to be delivered to the people in, in Regina. The change can come and it can come through the Saskatchewan NDP.
And I hope that the people will give me the opportunity to serve them as their MLA on October 28th. And, what a tremendous honor it will be to to be the MLA if given the opportunity.