For more information on the Canora-Pelly Constituency, please click here.
Canora-Pelly is a fusion of the old Canora and Pelly constituencies. It first appeared on Saskatchewan's political map in 1995 and has had only one MLA in that time. Ken Krawetz won by only 50 votes as a Liberal in 1995, beating Pelly New Democrat MLA Ron Harper. Harper was later elected in Regina Northeast in 1999 and will retire on November 7.
Krawetz was was of the founding eight MLAs who formed the Saskatchewan Party on August 8, 1997. Prior to that Ken contested the 1996 Saskatchewan Liberal leadership race. Krawetz finished 3rd on the 2nd ballot, just 13 votes behind Tom Hengen. It has been speculated that had Krawetz finished ahead of Hengen on that ballot, that Krawetz would have beaten Melenchuk in the leadership race, and political history in this province would have unfolded differently.
Krawetz became Official Opposition Leader in 1996 after Jim Melenchuk became Liberal Leader and was without a seat in the Legislature. Krawetz held the post after switching parties and remained Leader of the Official Opposition until 1999 when Sask Party Leader Elwin Hermanson took his seat in the Assembly.
Krawetz went on to easy re-election as a Saskatchewan Party MLA in 1999 with 58 percent of the vote, 53 percent in 2003 and 64 percent in 2007. Since 2003 Krawetz has held the title of Deputy Premier. In 2007 Premier Wall named Krawetz Minister of Education, and last year Ken was moved into the Finance portfolio. Given Krawetz' popularity among his constituents and his high profile in the Wall Government, it seems extremely unlikely that Krawetz will lose on November 7th.
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