Sask. Liberals still need 6 candidates for federal ridings

If the longest of federal election campaigns gets underway as of this long weekend, the Conservatives and NDP in Saskatchewan are ready.

Both parties have candidates nominated in all 14 ridings. The Liberals still must name candidates in six ridings. Even the Green Party is ahead of that number with nine candidates named.

The Conservatives held 13 of the 14 ridings in the last election in 2011. The Liberals had one. However, boundaries for the ridings have changed significantly this time around under redistribution, which some say will help the NDP in the more urban ridings in Regina and Saskatoon. 

The Liberals have some high-profile candidates running: Long-time M.P. Ralph Goodale in Regina, former FSIN Chief Lawrence Joseph in the north, and a former TV News anchor, Cynthia Block, in Saskatoon.

Reports out of Ottawa say Prime Minister Stephen Harper is poised to request the dissolution of parliament as early as Sunday. Which could mean 11 weeks of campaigning.

People in Regina seem to be split on whether that’s a good idea. 

“Long time, but it’s alright I guess,” said one man. 

“Well I think they have to because in Saskatchewan we’ve got farming, so that farmers are going to be busy,” said another woman. 

While others seemed skeptical of the whole process. “When he calls it shouldn’t matter, it’s what the results should be.”

One woman said attention will be bit at the beginning, then wane in the middle, but come back at the end.