CONSERVATIVE MINISTER TO STEP ASIDE

by Brian Laghi — August 6, 2007

A key Saskatchewan cabinet minister has announced she won't seek re-election as the Stephen Harper government faces increasingly rough criticism in the province that includes perceived inequities in the equalization program.

A key Saskatchewan cabinet minister has announced she won't seek re-election as the Stephen Harper government faces increasingly rough criticism in the province that includes perceived inequities in the equalization program.

Carol Skelton, Mr. Harper's Minister of National Revenue, is the government's most influential MP in the province and also served as Mr. Harper's minister responsible for western diversification.

"Recently, I came to the decision that it is time for me to concentrate on the most important aspect of my life, that being my family," she told voters on her constituency website. Ms. Skelton was flying back from the party's caucus meeting in Prince Edward Island yesterday and was unavailable for comment.

The Tories currently represent 12 of Saskatchewan's 14 constituencies, but are facing fire for a number of issues, which include accusations that they broke their word on a pledge to change the equalization program, which would have substantially increased Saskatchewan's payments.

The government's promise to end the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board on the sale of wheat is also controversial in Saskatchewan.

Experts say Ms. Skelton might have had a tougher time winning the riding. Indeed, she took it in a relatively close race last time around, winning by about 2,000 votes over NDP candidate Nettie Wiebe, a strong supporter of the Wheat Board and a former president of the National Farmers Union. Ms. Wiebe is nominated to run again.

Ms. Skelton's riding of Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar includes a significant lower-income pocket of residents in Saskatoon as well as a chunk of farmers that have tended to support the NDP in the past.

A political expert said both the Wheat Board issue and the difficulties around the equalization promise may have made life more difficult for Ms. Skelton in the riding and could work against the Tories generally in Saskatchewan. But political scientist Joe Garcea of the University of Saskatchewan said Mr. Harper's pugnacious style may be a bigger problem.

"I think people are puzzled by Harper," Prof. Garcea said. "They initially saw him as the fresh face who was going to put a fresh stamp on Ottawa. Now they think of him as this very secretive, very detached Prime Minister."

Mr. Garcea suggested that Mr. Harper should have put on a more sunny disposition at the beginning of the term.

"It's his management style that is his biggest problem."

A key Saskatchewan cabinet minister has announced she won't seek re-election as the Stephen Harper government faces increasingly rough criticism in the province that includes perceived inequities in the equalization program.

Source:The Globe and Mail