Saskatchewan

This article is about the Canadian province. For the river, see Saskatchewan River.

Politics

Saskatchewan has the same form of government as the other Canadian provinces with a premier, legislature, and lieutenant-governor.

Related Topics:
Premier - Legislature - Lieutenant-governor

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For many years Saskatchewan has been one of the more left leaning provinces. In 1944 they elected Tommy Douglas Premier of the first socialist government in North America. Under his Cooperative Commonwealth Federation government Saskatchewan became the first province to have Medicare. In 1961, Douglas left provincial politics to become the first leader of the federal New Democratic Party .

Related Topics:
1944 - Tommy Douglas - Premier - Socialist - North America - Cooperative Commonwealth Federation - Medicare - New Democratic Party

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During the post-war period the CCF and its successor the Saskatchewan New Democrats have dominated provincial politics with Douglas, Allan Blakeney and Roy Romanow all serving long periods as Premier and becoming national figures .

Related Topics:
Saskatchewan New Democrats - Allan Blakeney - Roy Romanow - Premier

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The Saskatchewan Liberal Party was the province's main centrist party for several decades but became insignificant following the defeat of Ross Thatcher's government in 1971. The Progressive Conservatives displaced the Liberals but imploded and officially withdrew from politics following the defeat of the scandal ridden government of Grant Devine.

Related Topics:
Saskatchewan Liberal Party - Ross Thatcher - Progressive Conservatives - Grant Devine

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Today, the official opposition in the province is the Saskatchewan Party, a new party built out of the remains of the Tories and former Liberals. The current premier of Saskatchewan is New Democrat Lorne Calvert, whose government was re-elected in the 2003 election with a slim majority government--the NDP won 30 seats in the 58-seat Legislative Assembly, while the Saskatchewan Party won the remaining 28 seats.

Related Topics:
Saskatchewan Party - Lorne Calvert - 2003 election

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