‘Restoring people’s faith in democracy’: Sask. Green Party leader has big ambitions

It might be a small party, but it has big ambitions.

The Saskatchewan Green Party is hitting the ground running for the Oct. 26 provincial election.

In 2016, Green candidates got 7,967 votes, making up 1.83 per cent of the total ballots.

However, new leader Naomi Hunter is hoping to make it big this year.

“When people hear me talk, they tell me I’m dynamic. People who get a chance to know me will often say, ‘You make me believe that there are still politicians in Saskatchewan like Tommy Douglas,’ ” she said Wednesday.

“I’m just going to keep at it, and I truly believe this is going to be the year where we break through and I become the first elected Green on the Prairies, and hopefully bring a caucus with me.”

She was elected leader in February of this year, succeeding Shawn Setyo. While this is her first time as the head of the Greens for an election, she isn’t intimidated by the prospect.

“I am a heart-centred, empathic person who is prepared to make all decisions based on kindness while thinking of people and the environment first,” she said.

“I certainly think that I will be an excellent premier.”

Her ambition extends beyond just being elected. The Green platform contains many sweeping changes.

For instance, Hunter would like to completely change the province’s voting system.

“Right now, (I’d like to) bring in electoral reform. (We need) proportional representation. Saskatchewan is the logical place to see this happen … We will end up revitalizing people’s feelings about democracy. A government that co-operates and works together is actually more functional,” she said.

She would also like the government to subsidize more health-care services, like dental care, mental health and chiropractic therapy.

Those are just some of a litany of changes she and the party would like to see happen.

While the campaign hasn’t been going on for long, Hunter said she has had a great response from prospective voters.

“I see people go from a stage of saying, ‘You know, I don’t really vote. I don’t feel like it counts, I don’t really believe in politics,’ to looking at me and saying, ‘Wow, I love what you’re saying,’ ” she said.

“I feel that I am restoring people’s faith in democracy.”

The Green Party plans to run a candidate in every riding in the province, with one exception. It won’t nominate anyone in Regina Walsh Acres, out of respect for former NDP candidate Sandra Morin.

Morin will be running as an independent in the riding after NDP Leader Ryan Meili refused to sign her nomination papers. The Greens support her.

“I feel she was an excellent cabinet minister and MLA before, so I hope to see her in the legislature again, with me,” Hunter said.

Hunter will be running in Regina Elphinstone-Centre.