Alanna Koch believes she would bring unique experience if she is elected as the new leader of the Saskatchewan Party.
Koch was in Estevan on Monday afternoon, where she spoke to about 35 people at an event at the Estevan Elks Club. She then visited the Mercury office for an interview before heading to Weyburn for an evening event.
The gathering at the Elks saw her speak about some of the issues she has encountered during the campaign, and then she answered questions from the crowd. She said people from various industries and demographics were in attendance.
“I talked about the breadth and depth of experience that I have and that I bring to the table, my experience in both the government side and the political side, as well as the private sector,” said Koch.
Koch is the only one of the five candidates for the Sask. Party leadership who hasn’t held a seat in the legislature in the past. But she believes her other experience, including her tenure as the deputy minster to Premier Brad Wall, will help her overcome that lack of elected experience if she becomes the new Sask. Party leader, and, in turn, the new premier.
As deputy minister to Wall, she was the top civil servant in Saskatchewan.
“I have a very different background and experience than all the other candidates,” she said.
As a premier, she believes decisions would be pragmatic so that the public servants can implement the direction of the government, and ensure programs and services are provided to Saskatchewan people.
She also worked as the deputy minister of agriculture for nine years. And she has worked in the private sector.
Koch isn’t concerned the lack of experience as an MLA or in other elected positions would hurt her.
“We have the rest of caucus that is elected and has that tremendous experience, and I think it’s about renewal,” said Koch. “It’s an opportunity for the party to have some new energy, some new ideas and some new perspective, and all of the experience I bring to the table absolutely can make a huge difference for the party and for the government.”
Koch also explained her policy platform in her speech, and her ideas for governing the province. The platform calls for Saskatchewan to lead in food, fuel, fertilizer, technology, while have a strong value-added industry, a climate for business growth, sustained population growth, safe communities and excellent education.
Among the questions she faced while in Estevan was regarding the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the Boundary Dam Power Station. Koch reiterated her support for the technology.
“In my opportunity to be on trade missions with the premier, I spent a great deal of time in Asia, and I heard how much interest there was in CCS, and the interest that was from, in particular, India and China, on the technology,” said Koch.
There is a lot of opportunity for the technology to be taken up by customers around the world, she said, so continued investment is needed.
She also expressed her continued opposition to the carbon tax the federal government wants to impose on Saskatchewan.
“Carbon is not a villain,” said Koch. “In fact, we need it to, for example, grow crops in Saskatchewan. And we’ve done a whole bunch to reduce our carbon emissions in Saskatchewan, and we’ve gotten no recognition of it from Ottawa.”
Koch believes the alternative is to focus on Saskatchewan-made alternatives for a carbon tax, such as the use of science, technology and innovation to reduce emissions, including CCS and the use of zero-tillage practices in agriculture. Changes in technology in the oil and gas sector can also reduce Saskatchewan’s carbon output, she said.
“We’re a food and energy security giant for the world, and we need our federal government to recognize the contributions Saskatchewan has made to in fact reduce emissions and drive the economy,” she said.
The oil and gas sector needs continued stability in the regulatory climate and business climate, she said, and government needs to send a message that the industry is welcome and supported.
Questions from the audience covered the usual topics of healthcare, education, the economy, the budget, agriculture, exports and trade, as well as the provincial sales tax on insurance premiums, the Global Transportation Hub and a harmonized sales tax.
People she talks to during the campaign have told her they view her as someone very different than the other candidates.
Koch said she has travelled more than 18,000 kilometres and 70 communities since she entered the leadership race. The Estevan constituency marked the 57th constituency has visited.
She has already been to Stoughton and Lampman, which are part of the Cannington constituency.
Cannington MLA Dan D’Autremont is among her backers.
Koch has enjoyed the first two debates for the leadership race, and is looking forward to the next one this coming Saturday, which will be part of the Sask. Party’s annual convention in Saskatoon.
“I was really looking forward to the debates, because it gave me an opportunity to demonstrate that I have a really good background, and I have the ability to handle myself on my feet. I’ve had great feedback on how the debates have gone thus far.”
The Sask. Party will select its new leader on Jan. 27, 2018.
