Green Party of Saskatchewan launches election campaign

With a full slate of 61 candidates, more than half of whom are women, the Green Party of Saskatchewan launched its campaign today in Regina.

Party leader Victor Lau says gender parity is important to his party, and he thinks more female voices need to be in government.

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We work with citizens on the ground to see where things can be rearranged, where we can get the most efficiencies. You should have ongoing democracy and ongoing consultations.- Victor Lau

Some of the key platform promises from the party focus on health care, expanding medicare and the provincial drug plan. The platform also has a plan for sustainability development and job creation in the province.

"We're the only party, the Green Party of Saskatchewan is the only party talking about sustainability, and we know with the climate crisis upon us we're the only party offering real solutions. No other party is talking about that," said Lau.

If elected, the party also wants to implement a guaranteed income supplement. People with an annual income below the poverty line would be able to receive a top-up amount to bring them up to the poverty line.

The project is estimated to cost $679 million a year.

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"A lot of people that, you know, are foreign workers, seniors, students, people that can barely afford their rent — when we talk about a guaranteed liveable income so that nobody falls below the poverty line — they are really excited about that," said Lau.

Lau says this can be achieved if it's what the people in Saskatchewan want. The party plans on doing participatory budgets, where citizens would be asked how they want to be taxed and how that revenue should be spent.

"We work with citizens on the ground to see where things can be rearranged, where we can get the most efficiencies," Lau said. "You should have ongoing democracy and ongoing consultations."

Surveys would be conducted though online polls, smart phones, and social media.