Carla Beck addresses a small crowd of people at the Spice Trail in Prince Albert Saturday afternoon. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Orange Wave

Beck makes appearance in P.A. as she campaigns to become new leader of Sask. NDP

Mar 12, 2022 | 4:38 PM

Member of the legislative Assembly for the Regina Lakeview constituency, Carla Beck made a stop in Prince Albert Saturday on the campaign trail in her pursuit of becoming the leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP).

A small crowd of supporters and local politicians gathered at the Spice Trail to hear what Beck had to say about her platform and what she will do if elected for the people of Saskatchewan and Prince Albert.

Beck became the first to announce their leadership run earlier this month and she said her first job is to get out across the province.

“This is not going to be a stay in Regina campaign,” Beck said. “I’ve told many people I’m prepared to run the tires off my car getting out, doing outreach in communities because we do need to hear from people in communities like Prince Albert but right across this province, we need to bring people together.”

She expects their will be other people to join in the leadership race for the Sask. NDP but explained regardless, it won’t slow down their efforts.

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Her priority for Saskatchewan residents is jobs and affordability, as well as coming out of the pandemic she has heard concerns of mental health. She also raised issues of division in the province.

“I look around here I know many of us found at Christmas time people had difficulty sitting down as a family at Christmas because there’s been so much division. And the kind of division we’re seeing from this Scott Moe government, instead of looking for solutions, inflaming those divisions that’s not the path we’re taking. We’re looking to listen to people, to find solutions, and to bring people together,” she added.

Homelessness has been an ongoing issue in Prince Albert and when asked if elected, if the issue will be addressed Beck referred to her platform on affordability and jobs. She explained they will be a government who finds solutions instead of dividing.

“There are people in this province for sure who have done well under the Sask. party but that is an increasingly small number of the population. What we’ve seen is wages stagnating, economic opportunities haven’t been pursued by this government and more and more people are falling behind.”

Beck also touched on the need for a second bridge saying she’s been on the bridge that leads north of the city calling it needed infrastructure for P.A. and Saskatchewan residents.

Meanwhile NDP candidate for Prince Albert Northcote Nicole Rancourt officially endorsed Beck for the leader of the Sask. NDP.

Rancourt spoke highly of Beck calling her a strong leader and knows she will unify the party.

“We were both newly elected in 2016 so with being new MLAs we had to learn the ropes of how to be an opposition member, so we connected that way, but we were also seat mates in the legislature,” Rancourt told paNOW. “We got a lot of time to spend chatting with each other and getting to know each other and both being social workers and coming from small towns growing up. We definitely had a lot in common and enjoyed our company together.”

NDP candidate for Prince Albert Northcote Nicole Rancourt introduces Beck in Prince Albert and endorses her as leader of the Sask. NDP. (Ian Gustafson/ paNOW staff)

She echoed Beck’s comments saying she will use the next couple of years to find out what residents are wanting and knows the pandemic has changed the perspective of what issues are within the province.

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12