Saskatchewan United Party

Not to be confused with Saskatchewan Party.
Saskatchewan United Party
AbbreviationSUP
LeaderJon Hromek
PresidentDwight Bunyan
FounderNadine Wilson
Founded2022
RegisteredNovember 30, 2022; 23 months ago (2022-11-30)
Split fromSaskatchewan Party
HeadquartersPO Box 187
Lumsden, SK
S0C 3G0[1]
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing
ColoursBlue and red
SloganYour conservative option for uniting Saskatchewan
Seats in Legislature
0 / 61
Website
www.saskunited.ca

The Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) is a conservative political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The party was registered in November 2022. SUP was started by former Saskatchewan Party MLA Nadine Wilson, and has promoted a right-wing populist ideology.

History

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Conception and foundation

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Conservative organizers—including Independent and former Saskatchewan Party MLA Nadine Wilson, former Conservative Member of Parliament and federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz, and former Maverick Party candidate Ken Rutherford—began holding meetings in early 2022 to try and establish another conservative political option for Saskatchewan.[2] Wilson had become a vocal critic of the governing Saskatchewan Party's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, and resigned from the Saskatchewan Party caucus in September 2021 with the party revealing that she had lied about her COVID-19 vaccination status.[3][4] An opposition to pandemic-related public health measures was at the centre of Wilson and Ritz's efforts in early 2022, and they worked alongside members of the anti-mandate group Unified Grassroots.[5] The organizers also engaged with the organizers of the Christian conservative True North Saskatchewan as well as the Buffalo Party, discussing possible future mergers.[6]

The Saskatchewan Progressive Conservative Party has alleged that these organizers attempted a "takeover" of the PC party with a plan to rebrand as the Saskatchewan Conservative Party with Wilson as its leader.[7] In addition to the Conservative brand, such a move would have provided access to a $2.7 million trust fund.[8] However, the takeover was rejected, and attention turned to establishing a new party. In 2023, the PCs alleged that Sask. United organizers stole a hard drive containing member and donor information, a charge those organizers denied.[8][9]

The Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) was registered with Elections Saskatchewan on November 30, 2022, with Nadine Wilson appointed party leader and becoming its first member in the Legislature.[10]

Nadine Wilson (2022–2024)

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On Wilson's first day in the Legislature as SUP leader, she invited guests who purported to have suffered "vaccine injuries" and urged the government to meet with them.[11]

The party hosted an official launch event on February 28, 2023 in Saskatoon, where it introduced its logo and policy agenda.[12] The party's positions include promoting the agriculture, energy, and natural resource industries; promoting provincial sovereignty against federal and foreign powers; promoting gun rights; promoting "efficiency and opportunity" and less bureaucracy in health care; removing "ideologies" from school curricula; and increasing parental involvement in education.[12][13][14]

The party ran a candidate for the first time in the August 2023 Lumsden-Morse by-election; SUP candidate Jon Hromek finished second to the Saskatchewan Party's Blaine McLeod with 23% of the vote.[15] Wilson, who stated that she was "very pleased" with the result, attributed it to the party advocating for more parental involvement in the education system.[16] In the fall of 2023, Hromek was named the deputy leader of SUP.[17]

When, later in August 2023, the Saskatchewan Party introduced new education policies limiting sexual health education and requiring parental consent when students under the age of 16 desired to have their chosen names and pronouns affirmed at school, pressure from SUP was widely cited as the impetus.[18][19][20] SUP took credit for forcing the government to adopt the policy in social media posts.[21][22] The policies were ultimately enshrined in legislation called the Parents' Bill of Rights, with the government invoking the notwithstanding clause as part of the legislative process; Wilson voted in favour of the legislation.[23]

Jon Hromek (2024–present)

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On May 16, 2024, Wilson announced that she would step down as party leader, although she still intended to run for SUP in the 2024 election.[24] Former deputy leader Jon Hromek, who had donated $200,000 to the party, was appointed as the new SUP leader.[24] In September 2024, two more former Saskatchewan Party MLAs, Greg Brkich and Denis Allchurch, announced that they would run for SUP in the fall election.[25] Brkich and Allchurch—the latter of whom had lost the Saskatchewan Party nomination to Scott Moe in Rosthern-Shellbrook before the 2011 election—expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the Saskatchewan Party under Moe's leadership.[25]

Hromek launched the party's campaign on October 2, 2024, stating that he hoped to have at least two candidates elected to the Legislative Assembly.[26][27] None of its candidates would be elected, and Wilson lost the party's sole seat in the Saskatchewan Rivers riding to Saskatchewan Party candidate Eric Schmalz. Hromek stated "the results are the results and that's OK. In any competition, that's just how it works. So I think we can hold our head high and be proud of ourselves with what we accomplished". He felt that the SUP had still made a tangible impact even without winning seats, crediting itself with pressuring the Saskatchewan Party to veer further right in its policies.[28]

Ideology

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The Saskatchewan United Party has been described as leaning further to the right than the Saskatchewan Party (which itself had become increasingly influenced by far-right movements and trends in the 2020s),[29][18][30][31] with Hromek describing it as a "true conservative option."[32][26] Upon its launch, Saskatoon StarPhoenix columnist Phil Tank noted the SUP's promotion of policy positions consistent with right-wing populist movements, such as stances against mass immigration, COVID-19 lockdowns, and vaccine mandates.[5]

Policies and positions

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In its platform for the 2024 Saskatchewan general election, Hromek stated that the party aimed to end the province's fuel tax and cut the provincial sales tax to 3%, cut property taxes for homeowners over 65, and institute a "full royalty framework review on potash". The party's health care strategy is focused on privatization, offering retention bonuses to health care workers, providing incentives on tuition for recruited health care students who agree to work in the province, and auditing the health care administration. It supports the removal of "ideology" and "indoctrination" from school curricula—with Hromek citing "genders" and the climate crisis as examples, and pledging to defund post-secondary institutions that do not "uphold and defend freedom of expression on campus". The party platform opposes identity politics, and includes a bathroom bill and prohibiting "biological men" from competing in women's sports. The party's platform contains climate change denial, and is against green energy projects.[27][33]

Party leaders

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† denotes acting or interim leader

# Party Leader Tenure Notes
1 Nadine Wilson November 30, 2022 – May 16, 2024 Wilson was a Saskatchewan Party MLA from 2007 to 2021, and an Independent MLA from 2021 to 2022. With the Saskatchewan Party, Wilson served as Provincial Secretary in the governments of Brad Wall and Scott Moe.
2 Jon Hromek  May 16, 2024 – present Previously served as deputy leader of the party from 2023 to 2024.

Former Saskatchewan United Party MLAs

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Member District First elected Notes
Nadine Wilson Saskatchewan Rivers 2007 Wilson has been elected four times, each time as a member of the Saskatchewan Party.

Electoral performance

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Election Leader Seats Change Place Votes % Position
2024 Jon Hromek
0 / 61
 Steady Increase 3rd TBA 4.0% No seats

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Registered Political Parties" (PDF). Elections Saskatchewan. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  2. ^ Sciarpelletti, Laura (2022-05-13). "New Saskatchewan United party gearing up to enter the provincial political landscape". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  3. ^ "Former Sask. Party MLA Nadine Wilson says decision to resign was her own". CKOM. 2021-10-04. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  4. ^ Blakley, Janelle (2021-09-30). "Sask. Party MLA resigns from government caucus after 'misrepresenting her vaccination status'". CTV News Regina. Archived from the original on 2021-09-30. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b Tank, Phil (2022-12-02). "Anti-immigration stance distinguishes Sask. United Party". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  6. ^ Simes, Jeremy (2022-06-03). "The rise on the right: Inside Saskatchewan's shifting political landscape". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2023-11-18. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  7. ^ Simes, Jeremy (2022-09-02). "Former PC vice-president sues party execs following talks with Sask. United". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  8. ^ a b Schick, Lisa (2023-03-30). "Sask. PC party accusing Sask. United Party of underhanded dealings". CKOM. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  9. ^ Salloum, Alec (2023-04-12). "Sask. United Party attempted to take over PC Party, says interim leader". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2023-04-13. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  10. ^ "New Sask. United Party already has leader in legislature". CBC News. 2022-12-01. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  11. ^ Simes, Jeremy (2022-12-01). "Day 1 as Saskatchewan United Party leader, Nadine Wilson asks about vaccine injuries". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  12. ^ a b MacLean, Rory (2023-03-01). "Saskatchewan United Party a refuge for the 'politically homeless,' MLA says". CTV News Saskatoon. Archived from the original on 2023-03-01. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  13. ^ Mandryk, Murray (2023-03-01). "Sask. United attempting to spoil the Sask. Party". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  14. ^ Craddock, Derek (2023-03-01). "Sask. United Party officially launches, but critics are skeptical". PA Now. Archived from the original on 2023-03-13. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  15. ^ Prisciak, David; Lynn, Josh (2023-08-10). "NDP swipes 2 Sask. Party seats in byelection wins". CTV News Regina. Archived from the original on 2023-08-12. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  16. ^ Garn, Nicole (2023-08-14). "Saskatchewan United Party leader happy with byelection results". CKOM. Archived from the original on 2023-08-14. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  17. ^ Cairns, John (2023-10-03). "Sask United Party names Jon Hromek deputy leader". SaskToday. Archived from the original on 2023-10-15. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  18. ^ a b Hunter, Adam (2023-09-23). "Sask. Ministry of Education took 9 days to create naming and pronoun policy, affidavit shows". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-10-01. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  19. ^ Simes, Jeremy (2023-10-09). "Saskatchewan legislature members prepare for fight over pronouns, Charter rights". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  20. ^ Simes, Jeremy (2023-08-22). "Saskatchewan says parental consent needed for name, pronoun change of students". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  21. ^ Bamford, Allison; Postey, Drew (2023-10-12). "'Parents' Bill of Rights' officially introduced in Sask. legislature, beginning pronoun policy's push into law". CTV News Regina. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  22. ^ "Saskatchewan United Party". Twitter. 2023-08-23. Archived from the original on 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  23. ^ Salloum, Alec (2023-10-20). "Saskatchewan passes school pronoun bill using notwithstanding clause". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2023-10-20. Retrieved 2023-12-03.
  24. ^ a b Prisciak, David (2024-05-16). "Nadine Wilson steps down as leader of Sask. United Party". CTV News Regina. Archived from the original on 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  25. ^ a b MacLean, Rory (2024-09-16). "'Not Brad Wall's Sask. Party': Two former MLAs to run under Saskatchewan United banner". CTV News Saskatoon. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
  26. ^ a b "Sask. United Party campaigns for foothold in tight race with promises to slash taxes, reform health care". CBC News. 2024-10-02. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  27. ^ a b Salloum, Alec (2024-10-02). "Sask. United Party and Sask. Buffalo Party unveil respective campaign platforms". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  28. ^ "Sask. United Party can still be proud despite election loss, leader says". SaskToday.ca. 2024-10-29. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  29. ^ Watkinson, Alisa (2023-10-08). "Far right influencing Sask. Party government on education". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  30. ^ "The culture wars have come to Canada". The Economist. 2023-10-12. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  31. ^ Jaffe, JoAnn; Eilliott, Patricia W.; Sellers, Cora (2021). Divided: Populism, Polarization and Power in the New Saskatchewan. Winnipeg: Fernwood Publishing. pp. 4–5. ISBN 9781773634807.
  32. ^ Hunter, Adam (2024-09-26). "Saskatchewan's political parties jockey for position on shifting spectrum". CBC News. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  33. ^ "Sask. United Party campaigns for foothold in tight race with promises to slash taxes, reform health care". CBC News. 2024-10-02. Archived from the original on 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
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