Sask. Premier Brad Wall talks budget, Broten and his own future
Sask. Party won third majority government in Monday's election
Fresh from a big election victory, Premier Brad Wall was speaking with the media this morning. Wall says he's looking forward to what's on his government's plate heading into its third term.
The Saskatchewan Party won its third consecutive majority government on Monday, taking 51 of 61 seats.
The New Democrats took the remaining 10 seats.
Wall said he will wait for official results to come in from Elections Saskatchewan before the new legislature will sit. That will likely take a few weeks.
The house will sit without NDP Leader Cam Broten, who lost his own seat in Saskatoon on April 4.
Wall said he expected the NDP to continue to provide a vigorous opposition.
"They were pretty effective with nine [MLAs]," Wall said. "I think 10 can be effective as well."
If Broten wants to get back into the legislature — by having one of his MLAs resign and running in a byelection — the government will co-operate to quickly set an election date, Wall said.
It's expected the Sask. Party government will introduce a budget in late May or early June.
Wall was also asked if he's looking for a new role for himself down the road, perhaps in the federal sphere.
"I ran for the term — that's 4½ years," he said.
However, he added that no one knows what may happen several years from now.
In his own constituency, Swift Current, Wall took more than 80 per cent of the vote — his fifth victory in that seat.
- Saskatchewan Party wins third majority government
- How to follow results on Saskatchewan election night
Meanwhile, some changes are on the way. The Sask. Party has promised to privatize dozens of government-owned liquor stores.
And when the legislature sits again, it will be slightly more crowded in the house. There will now be 61 MLAs, compared to 58 last time.
