YORKTON, Sask. — Candidates wasted little time hitting the campaign trail after Prime Minister Mark Carney called a federal byelection in Yorkton–Melville, setting up a five-week race that will conclude with voting on Dec. 7.
Three candidates have so far been announced: Conservative Nelson Pohl, who is seeking to succeed former MP Cathay Wagantall; Yorkton Mayor Aaron Kienle for the Liberals; and Green Party candidate Valerie Brooks of Saltcoats. The NDP has not yet announced a candidate.
Kienle spent the first day of the campaign in Kuroki, attending the community's annual fall supper and visiting with residents.
He described the day as a fitting way to begin the campaign, noting the event drew hundreds of people to the community hall.
"It was a pretty amazing thing to be back on the day of the election being called, back in my hometown that I spent a lot of time in," he said.
Kienle said many of the conversations focused on issues familiar to rural communities across the riding, including infrastructure and health care.
He said residents raised concerns about water infrastructure projects, the retention of health-care workers and the need for greater federal attention on rural Saskatchewan.
"So many things are similar from one community to the next," he said. "The size of the community might be different, but the needs are similar."
Kienle said several residents told him they would like to see a stronger voice for the riding within government.
"They haven't seen the investments they would like to see, and that was something quite a few people talked to me about," he said.
The Yorkton mayor said his campaign plans over the next five weeks will focus heavily on meeting voters throughout the riding, particularly in communities he is less able to visit while carrying out his mayoral duties.
With the campaign underway, Kienle is expected to take an unpaid leave of absence from the City of Yorkton. The city says deputy mayor arrangements are in place to ensure council business continues during the campaign period.
Kienle said Coun. Randy Goulden would assume mayoral responsibilities during the campaign.
"Councillor Goulden is very capable and I'm thankful to have her in this role," Kienle said.
Pohl, meanwhile, said he is looking forward to taking his message directly to voters.
"I'm looking forward to earning the support of the good people of Yorkton-Melville to lower immigration levels, lower food prices at the grocery store and gas pump, and keep our communities safe," he said in a statement.
Brooks was unavailable for comment.
The Dec. 7 vote will determine who represents the rural Yorkton–Melville riding in the House of Commons following the departure of longtime Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall, who held the seat for nearly 11 years after first being elected in 2015.
