Saskatchewan

Meet Regina Northeast's six byelection candidates

Six candidates are vying to take a seat in the provincial legislature to represent Regina Northeast.

Candidates vying for seat previously held by Kevin Doherty

Regina Northeast voters head to the polls on September 12. (Elections Saskatchewan)

Residents of Regina Northeast have a lot of choice at the polls on September 12.

Six candidates are vying to take a seat in the provincial legislature to represent the riding. 

A byelection was called after former MLA Kevin Doherty left politics for the private sector back in March.

Here's a look at who voters have to choose from (in alphabetical order):

Gary Grewal - Saskatchewan Party

Gary Grewal moved to Regina in 1983 from India. After attending the University of Regina, he entered the hospitality industry, owning hotels and sandwich shops.

He is a past president of the Saskatchewan Cricket Association and has volunteered with the India Canada Association and the Sikh Society of Regina.

Grewal said he wanted to be a Saskatchewan Party candidate because he admired how they made Regina internationally-known.

Gary Grewal is the Saskatchewan Party candidate for Regina Northeast byelection. (Samanda Brace/CBC)

"I'm looking forward to working under the leadership of Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party," he said.

According to Grewal, the biggest concern for Saskatchewan is the carbon tax.

Ken Grey - PC Party of Saskatchewan

Ken Grey is a paratransit bus driver in Regina who has long been involved in politics.

He is a past president of the Young New Democrats and ran for the Saskatchewan NDP in the 2007 election for Saskatoon Northwest.

Grey said he was initially attracted to the NDP because he is an economic nationalist, an ideology that favours state intervention in the economy.

He said he left the party after he felt it no longer aligned with those values. He tried forming the Living Sky Party in 2016.

In the end, he joined the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan.

The biggest issue he said is facing his constituency is the rising cost of living. Grey said he'll address this by giving a voice to the fiscal conservative.

He said he has three adopted special needs children and understands what it's like to deal with government services and struggle to pay the bills.  

Ken Grey is the Progressive Conservative party of Saskatchewan candidate. (Samanda Brace/CBC)

"What I really hope to do, win or lose, is that the government will take a message that they can't just continue to spin politics. There are average people out there, working hard to try and make ends meet. Quite frankly, I don't think their rhetoric matches the realities out there," he said.

Reid Hill - Saskatchewan Liberal Party

Reid Hill moved from Canada's reserve force to politics. 

He was in the army reserve for three years and has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Regina.

Hill said people have been sharing with him how they are having a hard time getting by. 

"Where can we spend the money more proactively? Do our healthcare and education need to grow? I think so. And they need their funding restored," said Hill.

Reid Hill is the Saskatchewan Liberal Party candidate for Regina Northeast. (Samanda Brace/CBC)

He said that if elected he would argue against government spending unless it provides a public service and for less tax breaks to large corporations.

Yens Pedersen - Saskatchewan New Democratic Party

Yens Pedersen wants to represent a strong NDP opposition in Saskatchewan.

The lawyer, small business owner and father of two has lived in Regina for the past 20 years.

Pedersen has twice tried to win a seat for Regina South, losing in both the 2007 and 2011 elections.

He also lost a bid for leadership of the Saskatchewan NDP in 2009.

Pedersen said he is concerned about the cuts to education and healthcare. He said if elected he would call on the government to reverse the cuts it's made.

Yens Pedersen is the Saskatchewan NDP candidate for Regina Northeast. (Samanda Brace/CBC)

"This government has shown they are complacent, they are getting arrogant, they are taking people's support for granted. And now that they have run out of money, we are seeing a real meanness, a lack of compassion and empathy for the struggles people have," he said.

Mark Regel - Western Independence Party of Saskatchewan

Mark Regel is a father who has worked at Evraz Regina for 21 years.

He joined the Western Independence Party of Saskatchewan after meeting leader Neil Fenske through Facebook.

Regel decided he wanted to do more than typing on his keyboard to address his concerns about crime rates and education cuts.

Mark Regel is the Western Independence Party of Saskatchewan candidate.

"Teachers educate our children and are basically raising our children for part of the day. Cutting our education funding is not going to make it attractive to go into that field. If we don't pay them properly, we aren't going to attract a high-quality of people to be teachers," Regel said.

Some of his ideas include funding supports to stop gang violence and adding a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility.

He said the party isn't a separatist movement but they do want Saskatchewan to have more of a voice in Canada and specifically want to get rid of equalization payments.

Jessica Schroeder - Saskatchewan Green Party

Jessica Schroeder is Métis mother who lives in Glencairn.

She started volunteering with the Green Party a few years ago and said she likes being able to meet her neighbours and hear their concerns.

She said fairness in wages is one concern she has heard voiced. She would like to see a $15 minimum wage and more jobs created by building sustainable energy projects.

Jessica Schroeder is the Saskatchewan Green party candidate for Regina Northeast. (Twitter)

Another idea she said she would bring to the legislature is adding Indigenous language lessons to grade schools.

"People should vote for me if they are concerned about fairness for people of all nationalities, fairness for people in all income brackets, and for people who are proud of their Saskatchewan heritage," she said.