Saskatoon·Profile

New constituency of Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood full of diverse issues

Four candidates are busy on the campaign trail hoping to win the inaugural seat of Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood in this year's provincial election. Churchill-Wildwood is made up of two old constituencies, Saskatoon Greystone and Saskatoon Eastview.

Provincial candidates hoping to tap into seniors, university voters

Eric Anderson · CBC News · Posted: Mar 30, 2016 3:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: March 30, 2016

The new constituency of Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood is being contested by four political parties. (Eric Anderson/CBC)

Four candidates are busy on the campaign trail hoping to win the inaugural seat of Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood in this year's provincial election.

Churchill-Wildwood is made up of two old constituencies, Saskatoon Greystone and Saskatoon Eastview. Voters who call the constituency home have a wide range of issues they hope will be addressed by the candidates.

If I'm to win this seat, or anyone is to win a seat in the election, it's going to be done by connecting with people.- Chris Chovin, Liberal candidate for Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood.

Lisa Lambert of the Sask Party, Tanya Dunn-Pierce from the NDP, Chris Chovin of the Liberal Party and Colleen Kennedy from the Saskatchewan Green Party are all new to politics and hoping to win the constituency.

Lambert, Dunn-Pierce and Chovin discussed what the campaign has been like so far. Kennedy was not able to be reached for this story.

Seniors rule

Sask Party candidate Lisa Lambert says seniors are the driving force in her constituency. (Eric Anderson/CBC)

What all candidates agreed on was the importance of the senior vote.

There are 3,000 seniors living in a three-kilometer radius around Market Mall. For Lisa Lambert, that means seniors rule Churchill-Wildwood.

"The availability of long-term care and whether it is staffed properly are on the minds of seniors in my area. They are also on fixed incomes, so anything affecting prices in their day-to-day lives is concerning to seniors."

However, Dunn-Pierce said the constituency is still very diverse. She has spoken with health care workers, teachers and business owners during her time door knocking.

One demographic that stands out for her are university students.

Tanya Dunn-Pierce has been hearing concerns from university students while door-knocking in the constituency. (Eric Anderson/CBC)

"They are talking lots about the cost and affordability when it comes to houses and rentals. Childcare is also coming up often with people who have young children."

How they ended up in politics

The three candidates all took different paths to Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood.

Lambert is a former radio and television broadcaster in Saskatoon who was nominated by the Sask Party in December of 2014. Dunn-Pierce is a manager of public health in the city who was approached by the NDP to run two years ago.

However, the story of Liberal candidate Chris Chovin really shows the tightrope candidates walk while campaigning.

Liberal candidate Chris Chovin has been busy campaigning while finishing his degree at the University of Saskatchewan. (Eric Anderson/CBC)

Chovin is wrapping up his Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Saskatchewan while working for PotashCorp. The 25 year old, who has been living in the constituency since 2003, wanted to run as a Liberal after helping the party during last year's federal election.

He admits sleep is a luxury these days but says campaigning has been a great experience.

"I wanted to be out on the front-lines and interacting with people. Understanding their issues. If I'm to win this seat or anyone is to win a seat in the election, it's going to be done by connecting with people. Making sure their voices are heard."

The provincial election takes place Monday, April 4th.