(Sask. Party and NDP websites)

By Glenn Hicks

Big Spending or Being Tight?

Prof. highlights Meili’s risk-reward strategy on big spending

Oct 2, 2020 | 7:00 PM

A Saskatchewan political science professor suggests Ryan Meili, the leader of the New Democratic Party, is using a risk-reward campaign strategy in a clear attempt to differentiate himself, not only from his Saskatchewan Party counterpart, but from previous NDP leaders.

Meili is promising huge spending and going heavily on the attack of Scott Moe and the Sask. Party’s fiscal management and what he claims is a lack of investment in recent years.

No Sask. Party Lite

“He can’t look like he’s ‘Sask. Party Lite,’ because I think that’s a recipe for failure for the NDP,” Greg Poelzer, with the University of Saskatchewan, told paNOW. “And you saw that in the previous election with Cam Broten trying to do ‘Sask. Party Lite’ and that didn’t gain traction. In some ways it’s a riskier move but in some ways a safer move.”

That may seem like a contradiction but Poelzer said if there was ever a time for an NDP leader to make the argument that in tough economic times governments need to spend more, this is it. Easy and cheap borrowing is available because of low interest rates, a case being made by the federal government as it pumps big cash into the economy amid the COVID pandemic.

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“There’s certainly more of an appetite for that,” Poelzer said, adding even the Sask. Party, which is positioning itself as being more in control of the purse strings than an NDP government would be, realizes money needs to be spent.

Meili is promising billions of dollars of investment into almost every sector of the province, arguing the Saskatchewan Party has failed to do that, even before the pummeling from the COVID pandemic. Those big money commitments include a second bridge and a completely new hospital for Prince Albert.

The Saskatchewan Party meanwhile has criticized the NDP for promising mega spending without a plan to pay for it which would leave future generations to pick up a hefty tab.

Courting Ottawa

But Poelzer figures Meili can benefit from latching onto the mood prevailing across Canada and many other parts of the world to spend heavily, as long as it’s in the right areas like green energy and Indigenous investment. He says the Sask. Party on the other hand tends to put on the boxing gloves, especially with the Ottawa Liberals.

“I think if Meili takes a conciliatory approach to Ottawa and gets more dollars invested, and that aligns with his spending priorities, I think that offers a clear distinction to Saskatchewan voters. And if he doesn’t go there why even pay attention to the Saskatchewan NDP?”

paNOW asked Poelzer if the Sask. Party’s approach of being more austere in driving home the message of a “plan that ensures a strong economy” might portray Moe among some voters as being tight or stingy, especially during these difficult times of COVID.

He agreed, but also added there was a large segment of the population who would be comfortable with the label ‘stingy.’

“What somebody might call ‘stingy’ another person may call ‘prudent.’ And they’ll think the greater social harm is to carry excessive debt rather than the potential cost of not making those investments.”

Rural urban divide

While Poelzer stressed Sask. Party support was a lock in the rural areas, he highlighted what could be a shift towards the NDP’s big spending approach in more urban centres, where many small businesses like stores and restaurants have been struggling during the pandemic.

And he said that big promise of a new bridge and hospital for Prince Albert should not be discounted as another political pledge that will quicky fall by the wayside.

“If Ryan Meili became the premier I think voters could rely on him to fulfill that promise. I think he is a different political leader in that regard.”

–

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow