1975 Saskatchewan general election

The 1975 Saskatchewan general election was held on June 11, 1975, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Blakeney and the NDP were re-elected to a majority government.

1975 Saskatchewan general election

← 1971 June 11, 1975 (1975-06-11) 1978 →
← outgoing members members →
61 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 32 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Allan Blakeney David Steuart Richard Collver Party New Democratic Liberal Progressive Conservative Leader since July 4, 1970 December 11, 1971 March 18, 1973 Leader's seat Regina Elphinstone Prince Albert- Duck Lake Nipawin Last election 45 15 0 Seats won 39 15 7 Seat change 6 ±0 7 Popular vote 180,700 142,853 124,573 Percentage 40.07% 31.67% 27.62% Swing 14.93pp 11.15pp 25.49pp
Premier before election Allan Blakeney New Democratic Premier after election Allan Blakeney New Democratic

Both the New Democratic government of Premier Allan Blakeney and the opposition Liberal Party, led by David Steuart, dropped in support to the resurgent Progressive Conservative Party. The Tories, who were a minor force in the previous election, drew over a quarter of the 1975 electorate.

Campaign

One of the main issues of the campaign was natural resources management. At the onset of the campaign, Saskatchewan was facing court challenges and a capital strike from multinational resource extraction companies. The potash industry was opposed to the new provincial reserve tax that Blakeney's government had introduced on that mineral the previous year. The federal government under Pierre Trudeau supported the companies' court challenges, and announced in the November 1974 federal budget that it would end the deduction of provincial royalties from federal tax.^[1]

Under these circumstances, the opposition Liberal and PC parties proposed lower natural resource royalty payments to ease the companies' concerns and bring investments back to the province. They were fiercely opposed to public ownership in the extraction and refinement of natural resources. On the other hand, Blakeney's NDP ran on the slogan New Deal '75. The platform promised to increase royalties, and more direct government participation in the natural resources sector, especially for the development and exploration of energy resources like oil, gas, coal and uranium; and minerals like potash.^[1]

Results

Party		Party Leader	# of candidates	Seats			Popular Vote
				1971	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change
	New Democratic	Allan Blakeney	61	45	39	-13.3%	180,700	40.07%	-14.93%
	Liberal	David Steuart	61	15	15	–	142,853	31.67%	-11.15%
	Progressive Conservative	Richard Collver	61	–	7	+600%	124,573	27.62%	+25.49%
	Independent		5	–	–	–	2,897	0.64%	+0.60%
Total			188	60	61	+1.7%	451,023	100%
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Percentages

Popular vote New Democratic   40.07% Liberal   31.67% PC   27.62% Others   0.64%

Seats summary New Democratic   63.93% Liberal   24.59% PC   11.48%

Ranking

Party		Seats	Second	Third	Fourth
	New Democratic	39	15	7	0
	Liberal	15	27	19	0
	Progressive Conservative	7	19	34	1
	Independents	0	0	1	4

Riding results

Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.

Northwest Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Athabasca		Frederick John Thompson 1,483	Ben Siemens 1,157	Roy Simpson 421	Rod Bishop (Ind.) 829		Allan Ray Guy
Cut Knife-Lloydminster		Miro Kwasnica 2,794	Sam Herman 2,076	Fred Baynton 2,113			Miro Kwasnica
Meadow Lake		Gord McNeill 2,094	Henry Coupland 2,058	Leo Jeannotte 1,705			Henry Ethelbert Coupland
Redberry		Dennis Banda 2,783	Emil Craig 2,006	Nick E. Kowerchuk 1,835			Dick Michayluk**
Rosthern		A.R. Friesen 2,030	Allan Ray Guy 2,277	Ralph Katzman 2,718			David Boldt**
The Battlefords		Eiling Kramer 3,660	Peter Tarnowsky 2,674	Walter Kostyna 1,212			Eiling Kramer
Turtleford		Lloyd Johnson 2,405	Cyril Fransoo 1,994	Gordon Mayer 1,666			Michael Feduniak**

Northeast Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Cumberland		Norm MacAuley 1,646	Winston McKay 1,128	Garry M. Houghton 511	Frank R. Tomkins (Ind.) 403	New District
Kelsey-Tisdale		John R. Messer 3,750	Alan E. Caithcart 2,266	Jack Ukrainetz 1,831			John Rissler Messer Tisdale-Kelsey
Kinistino		Arthur Thibault 3,215	Ed Olchowy 2,400	Tom Smith 1,657		New District
Melfort		Norm Vickar 3,102	Herbert J. Whitley 2,196	Bill Warner 3,001			Arthur Thibault Melfort-Kinistino
Nipawin		John Comer 2,599	Ellis H. Hill 1,447	Richard Collver 3,381			John Kristian Comer
Prince Albert		Mike Feschuk 2,947	Kenneth A. Beeson 1,947	Richard E. Spencer 2,689			Mike Feschuk Prince Albert East
Prince Albert-Duck Lake		Louis Roy 2,822	Davey Steuart 3,675	Norm Wipf 1,472			David Gordon Steuart Prince Albert West
Shellbrook		George Bowerman 3,138	Louis W. Hradecki 1,584	John P. Meagher 2,035			George Bowerman

March 2, 1977 By-election: Prince Albert-Duck Lake

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Prog. Conservative	Norm Wipf	3,022	39.84%	+21.37
	NDP	Jerome Hammersmith	2,773	36.55%	+1.14
	Liberal	Alexandre Joseph Baribeau	1,791	23.61%	-22.51
Total			7,586	100.00

West Central Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Arm River		Donald Leonard Faris 2,854	Ron Thorstad 2,843	Ron McLelland 1,974			Donald Leonard Faris
Biggar		Elwood L. Cowley 3,223	Arthur Meister 1,520	Ralph Young 1,906			Elwood Lorrie Cowley
Humboldt		Edwin Tchorzewski 3,006	Peter Cline 2,087	Ray Perpick 2,334			Edwin Tchorzewski
Kindersley		Alex Taylor 2,322	Allan McMillan 2,659	Bayne Secord 2,348			Alex Taylor Kerrobert-Kindersley
Rosetown-Elrose		Bill Owens 2,673	Calvin W. Fensom 2,004	Roy Bailey 3,078			George Fredrick Loken** Rosetown
						Merged district
							Hayden William Owens Elrose
Wilkie		Delaine Scotton 2,223	Linda Clifford 2,831	Jim Garner 2,138			Joseph "Cliff" McIsaac**

East Central Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Canora		Al Matsalla 4,024	Marie Kotelko 2,310	Michael Kaminski 1,656			Al Matsalla
Kelvington-Wadena		Neil Byers 4,051	Joe Bencharski 1,846	Don Austring 2,111			Neil Erland Byers Kelvington
						Merged district
							Fred Dewhurst** Wadena
Last Mountain-Touchwood		Gordon MacMurchy 3,640	Les Digney 1,819	Arnold Tusa 2,565			Gordon MacMurchy Last Mountain
						Merged district
							Frank Meakes** Touchwood
Melville		John Kowalchuk 3,747	Joseph L. Sedlovitch 2,019	Glenn Miller 2,478			John Russell Kowalchuk
Pelly		Leo Larson 3,511	Peter E. McDonald 2,250	W.J. Ferniuk 1,150	George G. Shlakoff (Ind.) 75		Leonard Melvin Larson
Quill Lakes		Murray Koskie 3,211	Arnold E. Boyko 2,022	Dick Harcourt 1,342		New District
Saltcoats		Ed Kaeding 2,887	William H. Peasley 2,058	Wilfred J. Walker 2,109			Ed Kaeding
Yorkton		Randy Nelson 3,099	Arlis Dellow 2,958	Ivan Daunt 2,173			Irving Wensley Carlson**

June 8, 1977 By-election: Pelly

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	Norm Lusney	3,724	48.29%	-1.97
	Prog. Conservative	Barrie Johnson	2,314	30.00%	+13.54
	Liberal	Donn Walsh	1,674	21.71%	-10.50
Total			7,712	100.00

Southwest Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Assiniboia-Gravelbourg		Allan Engel 3,012	Roy Nelson 3,400	Connie McLeod 1,517			David Hadley Lange Assiniboia-Bengough
						Merged district
							Reginald John Gross Gravelbourg
Maple Creek		Gene Flasch 2,232	Bill Stodalka 2,698	Eric Richardson 2,241			Gene Flasch
Moose Jaw North		John Skoberg 3,468	Emmett Reidy 2,284	Ken Glenn 2,286			Don MacDonald**
Moose Jaw South		Gordon Snyder 3,950	Faye Gordon 1,521	Arthur "Bud" Smith 1,857			Gordon Taylor Snyder
Morse		Reg Gross 2,502	Jack Wiebe 2,517	Art Martens 1,847			John Edward Niel Wiebe
Shaunavon		Allan Oliver 2,593	Eiliv "Sonny" Anderson 3,370	Eric Slater 1,375			Allan Roy Oliver
Swift Current		Murray Walter 2,452	Len Stein 1,734	Dennis Ham 3,494			Everett Irvine Wood**
Thunder Creek		Jim Murdock 2,036	Colin Thatcher 2,640	Don Swenson 2,348		New District

Southeast Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Bengough-Milestone		David Lange 2,819	Grant Frank 1,927	E.R. Moody 2,512			David Hadley Lange Assiniboia-Bengough
						Merged district
							Cyril Pius MacDonald Milestone
Estevan		Kim Thorson 2,499	Ian MacDougall 1,464	Bob Larter 4,354			Kim Thorson Souris-Estevan
Indian Head-Wolseley		Terry Hanson 2,241	Cyril MacDonald 2,844	Jack H. Horsman 2,205			Terry Lyle Hanson Qu'Appelle-Wolseley
Moosomin		Fred A. Easton 2,087	Frank Gardner 2,891	Larry Birkbeck 3,018			E. Franklin Gardner
Qu'Appelle		Donald W. Cody 3,430	John Gary Lane 3,796	F. Warren Denzin 1,806			John Gary Lane Lumsden
Souris-Cannington		James T. Eaton 1,530	Tom Weatherald 2,494	Eric Berntson 3,212			Kim Thorson Souris-Estevan
						Merged district
							Thomas Milton Weatherald Cannington
Weyburn		Jim Pepper 2,971	Norm Flaten 2,299	John Whitell 2,522			James Auburn Pepper

Saskatoon

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Saskatoon Buena Vista		Herman Rolfes 2,720	Barry Korchinski 2,487	Harold W. Lane 2,242		New District
Saskatoon Centre		Paul Mostoway 3,117	Douglas R. Knott 2,758	Morris T. Cherneskey 2,284	John Richards (Ind.) 1,492		Beverly Dyck Saskatoon City Park
Saskatoon Eastview		Reg Parker 2,466	Glen Penner 3,175	Larry Fast 1,418			Herman Harold Rolfes Saskatoon Nutana South
Saskatoon Mayfair		Beverly Dyck 3,467	John Olsen 2,120	June Smith 2,001			John Edward Brockelbank
Saskatoon Nutana		Wes Robbins 3,881	Bruno F. Riemer 2,280	Kay McCorkell 2,112			W. Albert Robbins Saskatoon Nutana Centre
Saskatoon Riversdale		Roy Romanow 4,172	William Stadnyk 1,551	Gary Barnes 961			Roy Romanow
Saskatoon Sutherland		Anne Boulton 3,145	Evelyn Edwards 3,843	Karim Nasser 1,759			John G. Richards** Saskatoon University
Saskatoon Westmount		John Edward Brockelbank 3,916	Tim Ryan 2,466	Peter Shinkaruk 1,592		New District

March 2, 1977 By-election: Saskatoon Sutherland

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Prog. Conservative	Bill Lane	3,962	38.68%	+18.57
	Liberal	Gerry Fraser	3,423	33.42%	-10.51
	NDP	Anne Boulton	2,829	27.61%	-8.35
	Independent	Alexander Vasey Barker	30	0.29%
Total			10,244	100.00

Regina

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		NDP	Liberal	PC	Other
Regina Centre		Ned Shillington 3,603	Les Hammond 2,417	Keith Jeal 1,500	William C. Beeching (Ind.) 98		Allan Blakeney
Regina Elphinstone		Allan Blakeney 4,096	Donna Welke 1,474	Arthur Cropley 1,374			Ken MacLeod** Regina Albert Park
Regina Lakeview		Henri Saucier 2,603	Ted Malone 3,374	Reg Watts 1,767			Edward Cyril Malone
Regina North East		Walt Smishek 3,735	Del Miller 1,735	Christine Howard 1,535			Walter Smishek
Regina North West		Ed Whelan 3,174	David Bouchard 2,333	William M. Sveinson 2,027			Edward Charles Whelan
Regina Rosemont		Bill Allen 3,602	George Wagner 1,685	Gerald A. Fuller 1,962		New District
Regina South		Eric Cline 1,913	Stuart Cameron 3,796	Paul Rousseau 2,059			Gordon Grant** Regina Whitmore Park
Regina Victoria		Henry Baker 3,577	Graham Wolk 1,833	Fred L. Dunbar 1,377		New District
Regina Wascana		Agnes Groome 2,752	Anthony Merchant 4,126	Roy A. Rudichuk 1,810			Henry Harold Peter Baker

See also

• List of political parties in Saskatchewan
• List of Saskatchewan provincial electoral districts