Regina voters bracing for high-stakes federal election amid tariff war

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Bennett Walton is an undecided voter who’s now old enough to cast his first ballot in a federal election.

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Walton wishes the national party leaders talked more about issues affecting Saskatchewan, and he hopes to see them visit the province during their five-week campaign period before the election on April 28.

“I would love to see them come to Regina,” Walton said between classes at the University of Regina on Tuesday. “Heck, I’d even drive to Saskatoon just to hear what they have to say and maybe it would sway my vote.”

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The upcoming federal election has been dominated by discussion of U.S. tariffs against Canadian imports and, in turn, which political leader can best stand up to American President Donald Trump.

Walton says he’s “nervous” about how much is riding on which party forms government while Trump’s policies are adversely impacting the Canadian economy.

“It has a bigger impact on everyone,” he said. “I’m a little concerned of who I’m going to vote (for) and how the next four years are going to go.”

Tariff concerns

Walton mostly learns about party platforms by listening to the car radio while he drives into Regina from White City to attend his first-year geology classes. He finds the leaders have mostly been focused on issues affecting Central Canada rather than speaking about the impact of tariffs on the potash and steel markets.

Premier Scott Moe — speaking Tuesday at the Food, Fuel, Fertilizer Global Summit in Regina — said he would like to see more federal leaders talk about Saskatchewan and the impact Chinese tariffs will have on agriculture-reliant provinces.

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“There should be more discussion with respect not only to the economic contributions that the prairie provinces make to the entirety of Canada, but more discussion on how we’re going to expand the industries that are creating wealth here,” said Moe, who stopped short of expressing frustration that the federal leaders hadn’t visited Saskatchewan as of Tuesday.

“I expect you’ll see them here at some point throughout the campaign.”

Meanwhile, NDP Leader Carla Beck said it is “disappointing” that the party leaders have not paid more attention to Saskatchewan as the election campaign enters its third week.

Cost of living

Voter Jayant Patel lives in the riding of Regina-Lewvan and he plans to support incumbent Warren Steinley. Patel hopes the Conservative Party of Canada will form government because he says it’s important to encourage industrial growth for a strong economy.

“First we have to make our house strong,” Patel said during a noon-hour interview in downtown Regina on Monday. He added that Liberal policies such as big immigration targets and the carbon tax have worsened the cost of living.

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Patel and his family moved to Canada from India in 2000. Although his children have since moved to the U.S. for work, he still believes Canada could be a “land of opportunity” if the government focuses on industrial growth and exports.

Environment

While tariffs and the cost of living are still top of mind for Regina-Wascana voter Bill Robinson, environmental policies are also at the forefront.

“I don’t think we’re doing a very good job with reducing our CO2 in this country (and) taking a lead on that,” Robinson said in downtown Regina, adding that he thinks the environment has become a “side issue right now” that’s overshadowed by concerns over tariffs.

The federal government paused incentives for zero-emission vehicles (iZEV) early this year. Robinson said the Liberal government is “not very serious” about hitting CO2 targets after backing off its commitment for a consumer rebate to purchase electric vehicles.

— with files from Alec Salloum.

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