Keywords Premiers, Saskatchewan

The NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY struggled in the election of 1999. Instead of obtaining a majority government in the election as polls had suggested, the NDP was overlooked by disgruntled farmers struggling through their worst economic crisis since the Depression. The NDP took almost every urban seat, but lost almost every rural seat. After nearly losing the 1999 election to Elwin Hermanson and the Saskatchewan Party, the NDP formed a coalition government with the Liberals to avoid vote splitting. Upon Romanow's retirement in 2001, Lorne Calvert ran for the leadership of the NDP and vowed to maintain the coalition. He was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan on 27 January 2001. Calvert, a staunch defender of medicare and economic progress through socialist means, defeated 7 challengers in 4 rounds of voting to replace Romanow. He then became the MLA for Romanow's former riding of Saskatoon-Riversdale. As part of his mandate, he vowed to reconnect with the many rural voters who had become disenchanted with the NDP over the years.

Leading up to the provincial election in 2007, Brad WALL's Saskatchewan Party edged out the NDP's popularity with voters by addressing the province's labour shortage. In November 2007 Wall led the party to a majority over Lorne Calvert's, replacing him as premier of Saskatchewan on 21 November. Following the election Calvert contemplated running for federal politics, encouraged by the federal NDP. After careful consideration Calvert declined.

See also PREMIERS OF SASKATCHEWAN.

Calvert, Lorne
Premier of Saskatchewan (courtesy Government of Saskatchewan).

Links to Other Sites
Hon. Lorne Calvert
This Government of Saskatchewan website features a biography of Premier Lorne Calvert.