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REGINA – Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe kicked off the provincial election Tuesday, promising broad-based tax relief to help residents battle the rising cost of living.

Moe told cheering supporters in Saskatoon that, if re-elected on Oct. 28, his government would launch a four-year plan to reduce personal income tax rates across the board.

He said given those rates are already adjusted for inflation, a family of four is set to save more than $3,400 over four years.

“It’s the largest income tax reduction since 2008,” Moe said to cheers and shouts of “well done!”

Carla Beck’s Opposition NDP, in the run up to the campaign, promised to suspend the 15-cents-a-litre gas tax for six months and scrap the provincial sales tax from children’s clothes and ready-to-eat grocery items, while not raising other taxes.

She has said the gas tax suspension would save families $350 over six months.

Moe ridiculed those changes as narrow and capricious.

“(Our plan) is significantly more than any temporary gas tax reduction that the NDP (is promising),” Moe said.

“It’s not temporary. It will remain in place, saving each and every Saskatchewan person money each and every year.”

Moe also promised a fully costed platform would be coming in the days ahead and challenged the NDP to explain how it would pay for its promises.

Beck was to launch her campaign later Tuesday in Regina.

Earlier in the day, Moe met with Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty to dissolve the house and issue writs directing the election.

The four-week campaign is expected to focus on the cost of living, the economy, health care and education.

Moe, who took over as premier in 2018, is seeking his second mandate in the top job.

He is expected to rally support around his government’s record on growing the economy, creating jobs and increasing the population.

Moe, representing Rosthern-Shellbrook, has also said his government’s decision to not pay the federal carbon levy on home heating has saved people money.

Beck has been the NDP’s legislature member for Regina Lakeview since 2016 and is running for the first time as the party’s leader.

Recent polls suggest a tight race between the two parties, but the breakdown on constituencies means an uphill fight for the NDP.

Polls indicate the New Democrats are stronger in the cities and the Saskatchewan Party is dominant in the rural areas. To win a majority in the 61-seat legislature, the NDP would need to sweep the 28 seats in the three largest cities – Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert – and hope for help elsewhere.

Moe has warned voters that an NDP government under Beck would return Saskatchewan to the days of hospital and school closures, people leaving for other provinces and a stagnant economy.

The NDP last governed in Saskatchewan from 1991 to 2007. It made cuts after the former Progressive Conservative government nearly bankrupted the province.

Moe took over as leader of the Saskatchewan Party in 2018 after former premier Brad Wall retired. Moe won his first mandate in the 2020 election during the COVID-19 pandemic and has feuded with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals over the carbon levy and natural resource policies.

His pre-election budget forecasted a $354-million deficit with more spending on education and health care.

Beck has said Moe mismanaged the province’s finances while failing to appropriately fund health care and education.

She has also pointed to recent problems in the Saskatchewan Party caucus — including criminal charges, retirements and rebuffs — that reduced it from 48 to 42 members at dissolution. Sixteen of those members are not running again, including eight who served in Moe’s cabinet over the last four years.

The NDP had 14 members at dissolution. There were four Independents and one vacancy.

Recent Saskatchewan Party caucus turmoil has seen members turning on one another.

In the spring, Speaker Randy Weekes accused the governing caucus of bullying. He accused Jeremy Harrison, the trade and export development minister, of taking a gun into the legislature in 2016.

Moe backed Harrison, who denied the incident but later admitted to it. Harrison was removed as government house leader but kept his cabinet position.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.

REGINA – Saskatchewan‘s general election has been called, with voting day on Oct. 28. Here’s a look at the leaders of the two main parties:

Scott Moe, Saskatchewan Party

Age: 51. Born July 31, 1973, in Prince Albert, Sask.

Early years: Grew up the oldest of five children on a grain farm near Shellbrook, Sask. His mother worked as a teacher and his father farmed and owned school buses. Moe played sports growing up, including hockey.

Education: Graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1997 with a bachelor of science in agriculture.

Pre-politics: Sold farm equipment, was in the service station business and co-owned a pharmacy in Shellbrook with his wife.

Politics: Elected as the Saskatchewan Party legislature member for Rosthern-Shellbrook in 2011 and re-elected in 2016. He became party leader and premier in 2018 after winning the Saskatchewan Party race to replace Brad Wall. With Moe as leader, the government was re-elected in 2020.

Family: Married to his high school sweetheart, Krista. They have two adult children: Carter and Taryn.

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Carla Beck, NDP

Age: 50. Born Oct. 15, 1973, in Weyburn, Sask.

Early years: Grew up with two brothers on a farm near Lang, Sask. Played baseball in her youth; her family was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Education: Earned a sociology degree in 1998 and a social work degree in 2004, both from the University of Regina.

Pre-politics: Worked as a registered social worker in Regina, including at a women’s shelter and at a halfway house for youth.

Politics: Elected as a trustee with Regina Public Schools in 2009. Elected as the NDP legislature member in Regina Lakeview in 2016 and again in 2020. Chosen as the party’s first female leader in 2022.

Family: Beck and husband Guy Marsden have three children: Hannah, Nolan and Maya.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is confirming what has been widely expected – the provincial election campaign starts Tuesday.

Moe says in a post on social media that he plans to ask Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty to dissolve the legislature, launching the campaign with voting day on Oct. 28.

Moe’s Saskatchewan Party is seeking a fifth straight majority after spending 17 years in office.

Moe says he’s running on his record of growing the economy while making investments in education and health care.

NDP Leader Carla Beck says it’s time for change

Beck is promising a break on the gas tax and removing the provincial sales tax on children’s clothes and some grocery items, along with more spending on health care and education.

Polls suggest a tightening race between the two parties, with the NDP seeing greater support in Regina and Saskatoon, while the Saskatchewan Party remains strong in rural areas.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.