Rise of Provincial PC Party Might Be Good for Sask Party

Ridiculous. That's the thought that first comes to mind when hearing that the provincial Progressive Conservatives are really resurfacing. The second thought is: what other than self-motivation on the part of the members involved in the revival can explain this foolish political move?

Since the Saskatchewan Party was formed in 1997, I've wondered why the Saskatchewan Liberal Party continues to exist. As the prominence of the party has consistently declined since that time, it seems that I am not alone in that thought. Really though, what is the point of having two right of centre parties in a small province like Saskatchewan? Obviously the two will simply split the vote among right of centre voters. I mean, the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives realized that on the federal scene, shouldn't it be time that it is realized provincially? It's no wonder that we seem poised to succumb to more generations of NDP rule.

Now, one's first instinct is to think that this latest move has made matters worse; the provincial PC Party has resurfaced and plans to run a full slate of candidates in the next provincial election. Now there are not only two parties cleaving the right of centre vote but three.

But is it really for the worse? Perhaps the Saskatchewan Party could actually benefit from this blatant move of self-interest. It might actually cast the Saskatchewan Party is a positive light when compared to the PC Party, particularly among fence-sitters who want a change from the current tired government but are apprehensive given the Sask Party's current perception as the heir of what many consider to be "those scandalous Tories of the 80's."

In a similar vein, Calvert and his calamitous cronies will be hard pressed to paint the Sask Party with the same brush as the provincial Tories when the said party is actually running AGAINST the Sask Party.

Finally, compared to the provincial PC Party, the Saskatchewan Party can actually resonate with voters as the centre-right party that it now is. Even Calvert said today that the provincial PC Party can, "provide a right-wing alternative."

It will be interesting to see how the rise of the Tories in Saskatchewan will affect the fortunes of all three of Saskatchewan's current parties. However, what will be more interesting will be how each decides to deal with the party's presence.