Buckley Belanger has served as an MLA for 25 years. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

athabasca

Belanger announces intent to run for re-election

Mar 5, 2020 | 2:17 PM

Athabasca NDP MLA Buckley Belanger was first elected to serve constituents in 1995, but he still believes he has unfinished business.

Belanger announced this week he plans to run for re-election in his riding the next time provincial voters head to the polls. During the last couple of months, he said he put a lot of thought into whether or not he should run again, but a recent dispute between northerners and the government convinced him to do so.

“If we’re going to have a fight over northern Saskatchewan’s land, then I have to be able to show up for that fight,” Belanger said. “I was really inspired to run because we had a couple of cabins taken out of northern Saskatchewan. There are many people who own cabins and enjoy the northern scenery and lakes. It’s our backyard. I just got really angry when I seen some of those trapper’s cabins being removed from northern land with no regard to the consequences or the respect afforded to northerners.”

Belanger believes the government made a mistake by removing the cabins, noting officials should have worked toward creating a positive relationship with the owners. He also added officials neglected to seek advice from Northern Saskatchewan Trappers association, the Prince Albert Grand Council or Métis Nation-Saskatchewan.

Other decisions the Sask. Party has made in the past also concerns Belanger such as the shut down of the Northern Teacher Education Program in La Ronge and the closure of the Buffalo Narrows Correctional Centre. He said there’s also issues surrounding forestry rights in northern Saskatchewan, as well as the commercial fishing industry.

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“There is no support whatsoever. We know a lot of families in the North count on the commercial fishing industry for jobs and revenue,” Belanger said. “Issue after issue they have failed miserably.”

Belanger also pointed to the lack of support the North receives compared to other parts of the province. For example, he mentioned $10 million was announced for southeast Saskatchewan to assist workers transitioning away from the coal industry. While he approves of the support given to those residents, he questions why northern Saskatchewan didn’t receive the same support when nearly 900 jobs were lost due to mine shutdowns only a couple years ago.

In addition, Belanger brought up concerns about the province’s rising debt. When the NDP was voted out of government, he said $9 billion was owed but that has since grown to $23 billion.

“Everybody gets tired of a government,” Belanger said. “These guys have been around for 12 years, and the wear and tear is starting to show on this government. They’re old, they’re tired and now we’re seeing that they’re broke.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno