Election call coming? Some Sask. candidates still to be nominated

With a federal election looming, some parties may have to scramble to nominate candidates in all Saskatchewan ridings.

CBC News has been told that an election call could come as early as Sunday.

If that happens, the Conservatives will be ready. They already have candidates nominated in all 14 ridings in the province.

The NDP currently has 13 nominated. The Liberals still have six ridings to fill with candidates, while the Green Party needs to nominate the same numberfor a full slate.

The fixed election date is Oct.19.

Regina resident Gary Charnock said Thursday that he does not welcome a long campaign.

Elections come, elections go. The date is set.- Gerry Ritz, ConservativeMP

"I'm not happy about that," Charnock said of an election start in August. "I think it's a bad trend. I don't think we need to do it. We don't need that much time to make a decision like that between three parties. Just get out there and tell us what your platform is and let us decide."

Politicians also spoke about the upcoming election campaign.

"Most people would argue there's never a good time for an election," Gerry Ritz, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Battlefords-Lloydminster, said. "Other people would argue we need one every three months to 'toss the bums out.' That said, elections come, elections go. The date is set."

Another current Saskatchewan MP, Liberal Ralph Goodale (Regina-Wascana), said the prospect of a long campaign is a concern.

"When politicians are in your face for that long a period of time, you don't want the campaign to become a detriment," Goodale said.

Saskatchewan voters will also encounter a new electoral map.

While the number of seats hasn't changed from 2011, the map has been redrawn, so that there are fewer mixed urban-rural seats and more that are purely urban.

Currently, Saskatchewan has one Liberal MP and 13 Conservatives. The last time the NDP had a Saskatchewan member elected was in the 2000general election.

NDP candidates critical of long campaign

The NDP's Nial Kuyek is a candidate in the Regina-Qu'Appelle riding.

"You've got to get on the treadmill and keep going if that's the length of the campaign," Nial Kuyek said, regarding the possibility of a long lead up to voting day. "It's going to be a long period if he calls it earlier, but we've got to keep our eye on the ball and continue to work towards victory."

Kuyek added an early start to the campaign does not make sense, in his view.

"I think it's a little ridiculous," he said. "I think most people were expecting there would be an official election call shortly after the September long weekend and it would be a typical 40-day campaign."

Another NDP hopeful was also critical of a long campaign.

"Personally, I do not see a reason for an eight-week campaign," Scott Bell, the NDP's candidate in Saskatoon-Grasswood, said. "Canada has done just fine with the typical with the 37-day, five-week campaign in the past."

• When will you start paying attention to the federal election?