The Leader-Post and The StarPhoenix have teamed up to bring you full profiles of each of Saskatchewan's 14 ridings for this year's Federal Election to be held on October 19. Below you will find all of the nominated candidates for each of the four main political parties, a profile of ridings and a What To Watch section where our reporters break down for you the key issues for each region. BATTLEFORDS-LLOYDMINSTER CANDIDATES Gerry Ritz (Conservative) Undeclared (Green) Larry Ingram (Liberal) Glenn Tait (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Urban and rural. It includes Battleford, North Battleford, Kindersley, Unity and the Saskatchewan portion of Lloydminster. The rural portion includes nine first nations: Onion Lake; Thunderchild; Little Pine; Red Pheasant; Sweet Grass; Saulteaux, Moosomin and Poundmaker; and Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man. Population: 68,675 Aboriginal population: 22.2 per cent Immigrant population: 3.9 per cent Visible minority population: 3.1 per cent Mother tongue: English 86.5 per cent; Aboriginal 4.5 per cent; French 1.3 per cent Religion: Christian 71.4 per cent; no religious affiliation 24.2 per cent; traditional aboriginal spirituality 3.6 per cent Unemployment rate: 6 per cent Average household income: $72,202 Average value of dwelling: $214,624 INCUMBENT Gerry Ritz (Conservative) WHAT TO WATCH Incumbent Gerry Ritz has dominated all comers in five elections since 1998, most recently taking 67 per cent of the vote in 2011. As Minister of Agriculture since 2007, Ritz is a well-known name, but anger from farmers over the sale of the Canadian Wheat Board and a mobilized First Nations population with anti-government sentiment could stand to hurt his take of the vote. Yet even if traditional Conservative voters cast ballots for other parties in this election, it still could be hard for any single challenger to cash in on all his lost votes. “Given all of Mr. Ritz’s positives, will that be enough to counteract the anybody but Conservative — the ABC — sentiment that seems to be out there and to what extent are the NDP. the Liberals and the Greens going to split the vote?” asked political science professor Joe Garcea of the University of Saskatchewan. Turtleford farmer and sheet metal worker Larry Ingram, who is running for the Liberals after their candidate Ray Fox was ousted for making light of domestic assault in an unfortunate Facebook post, served six years as a councillor in the Rural Municipality of Mervin and ran unsuccessfully for the provincial Liberals in 2003. NDP candidate and farmer Glenn Tait, who ran for the party in the riding in 2011, is a latecomer to the campaign. He replaces ex-candidate Sandra Arias, who dropped out of the race in late September due to financial hardship. With oil production accounting for much of the economic activity in Battlefords-Lloydminster, voters are likely to be wary of any suggestion that a government would do something to slow production in the industry that has suffered a decline because of low world oil prices. While some First Nations have economic interest in oil development, many are concerned with protection of the land and water, which may cause them to lean to non-Conservative options. “The Conservatives say ‘We’re the best ones to manage the natural resource sector of this area,’ and others are saying, ‘We can do that too, but we’re going to do better on the environmental front,” Garcea said. — Betty Ann Adam, The StarPhoenix

CARLTON TRAIL-EAGLE CREEK CANDIDATES Kelly Block (Conservative) Lynn Oliphant (Green) Alex Sluzar (Liberal) Glenn Wright (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Bordered by Saskatoon to the east, this largely rural riding includes the cities of Warman and Martensville Population: 70,640 Aboriginal population: 8.8 per cent Immigrant population: 4.0 per cent Visible minority population: 2.2 per cent Mother tongue: English 85.4 per cent; non-official languages 11.8 per cent; French 1.8 per cent Religion: Christian 77.5 per cent; no religious affiliation 21.3 per cent; traditional aboriginal spirituality 0.5 per cent Unemployment rate: 4.9 per cent Average household income: $80,711 Average value of dwelling: $278,346 INCUMBENT Kelly Block (Conservative) WHAT TO WATCH Two-time Conservative victor Kelly Block faces an easier road to re-election than she had in 2011. Block snagged just 538 more votes than the NDP candidate in 2011 when she campaigned in the former joint urban-rural riding of Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar. The new rural Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek riding, which does not include Saskatoon, is expected to be friendlier to the Tories. “There are some issues about (Conservatives’) defence of traditional values, family values, which resonate, on average, better with rural voters,” said Daniel Beland, a political sociologist in the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. Rosetown Mayor Brian Gerow said he’d “be surprised if the Conservatives have trouble getting elected,” but warned that Alberta’s recent provincial election, which saw the NDP win a majority government in a traditionally Tory province, shows nothing is a sure thing in an election. Block is up against rookie NDP challenger Glenn Wright, a mill manager at McClean Lake uranium mine, and Liberal candidate Alex Slusar, who was one of the province’s last major party candidates to be named. — Jonathan Charlton, The StarPhoenix CYPRESS HILLS-GRASSLANDS CANDIDATES David Anderson (Conservative) William Caton (Green) Undeclared (Liberal) Trevor Peterson (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Primarily rural, but includes Swift Current Population: 63,340 Aboriginals population: 3.1 per cent Unemployment rate: 3.7 per cent Immigrant population: 4.6 per cent Visible minority population: 2.8 per cent Mother tongue: English 85.9 per cent; non-official languages 11.4 per cent; French 2.6 per cent Religion: Christian 76.6 per cent; no religious affiliation 22.7 per cent; traditional spiritualism 0.1 per cent Unemployment: 3.7 per cent Average family income: $84,605 Average value of dwelling: $176,959 INCUMBENT David Anderson (Conservative) WHAT TO WATCH Cypress Hills-Grasslands has been owned by the Conservative Party and its various predecessors (the Canadian Alliance, Reform Party and Progressive Conservatives) for more than 50 years. Anderson, a businessman and Frontier-area farmer, was first elected in 2000. The last time another party won was 1957 when Liberal Irvin Studer won the further Swift Current-Maple Creek riding. In 2011, Anderson registered in excess of 20,000 votes (69.8 per cent), which was more than 14,000 votes ahead of his nearest rival, Peterson, who is again seeking election. Liberal candidate Duane Filson garnered 1,838 votes while Green Party candidate Helmi Scott received fewer than 800 votes. So, does any candidate pose a serious threat to Anderson’s reign? Peterson likely has the best chance at doing so, even though the Assiniboia high school teacher has come under fire from a three-year-old tweet — that has since been deleted — which opposes the proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline. After not running in the past two elections (2008 and 2011), Caton has jumped back onto the campaign trail. The Green Party is the third political banner he has run under (he previously ran for the PCs in 2000 and the Liberals in 2004 and 2006).

A lifelong farmer and former member of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool from Wymark, Wiens is a first-time candidate eager to engage in a debate with Anderson, who he recently called a “lame duck.” With only one major centre, winning the farm/ranch vote is assuredly the golden ticket to the nation’s capital. There is no denying, Anderson — who also serves as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs — has the clear advantage, though Wiens and Caton, a rancher himself, may have opportunities to make some gains. All candidates will be challenged by the expansive area of the riding, which is larger than the province of New Brunswick, but especially Anderson’s opponents. With vast open spaces between communities and longer travel times for these candidates compared to most ridings, advertising and any all-candidate debates will be more critical. Among the issues many in the area many are concerned about are income-splitting, medicare funding and issues surrounding the grain industry. — Nathan Liewicki, Regina Leader-Post DESNETHE-MISSINIPPI-CHURCHILL RIVER CANDIDATES Rob Clarke (Conservative) Warren Koch (Green) Lawrence Joseph (Liberal) Georgina Jolibois (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Rural and remote; Saskatchewan’s northern riding includes the communities of Meadow Lake, La Ronge, Ile-a-la-Crosse, La Loche and Stony Rapids Population: 68,570 Aboriginal population: 70.6 per cent Immigrant population: 1.0 per cent Visible minority population: 0.8 per cent Mother tongue: English 62.7 per cent; non-official languages 34.2 per cent; French 1.2 per cent Religion: Christian 76.8 per cent; no religious affiliation 20.4 per cent; traditional aboriginal spirituality 2.7 per cent Unemployment rate: 7.7 per cent Average household income: $66,334 Average value of dwelling: $203,195 INCUMBENT Rob Clarke (Conservative) WHAT TO WATCH Saskatchewan’s northernmost riding is any party’s to take. Incumbent Rob Clarke narrowly took Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River in 2011 with just 800 votes more than then-NDP candidate Lawrence Joseph, who snagged 44 per cent of the vote (Clark had 48 per cent while the 2011 Liberal candidate took 5 per cent). Joseph, former chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nation, has since switched parties and is now running for the Liberals while La Loche mayor Georgina Jolibois, who was an active voice in the north during the summer’s forest fires, is campaigning for the NDP. Voter turnout in Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River was just 50 per cent in 2011 — the lowest of any Saskatchewan riding. Charles Smith, a political-science professor at University of Saskatchewan’s St. Thomas More College, said things in the predominantly aboriginal riding could be different this year. First Nations groups and the federal government have been butting heads in recent months over government initiatives including the controversial First Nations Education and First Nations Financial Transparency acts and there have been strong pushes by aboriginal leaders to have their people go to the polls. “If that mobilization’s successful, you could see a real change of party affiliation in that northern riding,” Smith said. “Northern Saskatchewan and its aboriginal population is more mobilized today than it’s been in a long time and I think there’s an appetite for change among aboriginal leadership.” What is now the riding of Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River has been held by the three main political parties in the last two decades, with the Liberals taking it as recently as 2007. Clarke has represented the region since 2008.

While Clarke could be hurt by an influx of aboriginal voters keen on a federal government shakeup, Smith warns the Tory candidate is not to be overlooked. The vast northern riding is expensive to campaign in. That means the Conservatives — who have significantly more money than the other political parties — have an edge, especially over such a long campaign. — Andrea Hill, The StarPhoenix MOOSE JAW-LAKE CENTRE-LANIGAN CANDIDATES Tom Lukiwski (Conservative) Chris Mansbridge (Green) Perry Juttla (Liberal) Dustan Hlady (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: New riding (no incumbent); Rural except for the City of Moose Jaw Population: 73,715 Aboriginal population: 3.7 per cent Immigrant population: 4.4 per cent Visible minority population: 3 per cent Mother tongue: English 93 per cent; non-official languages 6.1 per cent; French 1.5 per cent Religion: Christian 76.5 per cent; no religious affiliation 22.6 per cent; Muslim 0.2 per cent Unemployment: 4.3 per cent Average family income: $88,961 Average value of dwelling: $242,738 INCUMBENT None (new riding) WHAT TO WATCH With the 2013 redrawing of the borders of Saskatchewan’s federal ridings or districts, none of them has been modified more than this one. Its core is the rural part of the old Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre seat held by Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski. But it also includes a large chunk of the former Palliser seat, plus bits of Saskatoon Blackstrap, Souris-Moose Mountain and Saskatoon Humboldt. Geographically, it goes from Milestone and Avonlea in the south to Meacham and Leroy in the north. It embraces all of the communities along Last Mountain Lake and along Highway 11 between Regina and Saskatoon — worthy of note because Saskatchewan’s rural areas have gone solidly Conservative since 1997. Elections Canada has transposed the voting results from 2011 onto the new boundaries and reports that 61 per cent of them went to the Conservatives, 32.5 per cent to the NDP, 3.8 per cent to the Liberals and 2.7 per cent to the Greens. Rural Saskatchewan has liked the Conservatives since the days of John Diefenbaker. More recently, opposition to the Conservatives’ dismantling and sale of the Canadian Wheat Board have failed to gain traction and the shipping delays of the last two winters are being blamed on the railways, not the federal government. With no oil production in it, this riding has been spared from the economic pain that goes with low oil prices, but several potash mines in it have seen substantial layoffs. Lukiwski’s main rival is Hlady, who came from Alberta to study at Briercrest College, made an unsuccessful run for Moose Jaw city council and is studying for an education degree at the U of R. The city of Moose Jaw, by far the biggest centre in the riding, has elected a former NDP provincial cabinet minister as mayor, but it has also two Saskatchewan Party MLAs in the Legislature. Lukiwski, an MP since 2004, is clearly the man to beat — though May’s provincial election in Alberta shows anything is possible. — Will Chabun, Regina Leader-Post PRINCE ALBERT CANDIDATES Randy Hoback (Conservative) Byron Tenkink (Green) Gordon Kirkby (Liberal) Lon Borgerson (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Contains Prince Albert, Saskatchewan’s fourth largest city, as well as the communities of Shellbrook, Nipawin, Tisdale and Melfort. The 2013 riding adjustments expanded the riding to include rural areas to the north and south that were previously part of the Desnethé -Missinippi-Churchill River and Saskatoon-Humboldt ridings, respectively.

Population: 72,510 Aboriginal population: 27.3 per cent Immigrant population: 4 per cent Visible minority population: 2.5 per cent Mother tongue: English 86.9 per cent; non-official languages 8.6 per cent; French 3.2 per cent Religion: Christian 75.8 per cent; no religious affiliation 22.4 per cent; traditional aboriginal spirituality 0.7 per cent Unemployment rate: 9.2 per cent Average family income: $69,280 Average value of dwelling: $216,990 INCUMBENT Randy Hoback (Conservative) WHAT TO WATCH Hoback, a farmer and former farm machinery marketing manager, has held the Prince Albert riding since 2008, increasing both the number of votes and the share of votes he received in 2011 over 2008. Hoback chairs the Saskatchewan Conservative caucus, but remains a fairly low-key political figure. The 2012 changes to the riding to increase its rural area could help the Conservatives, but Hoback arguably faces tougher opponents this time. Former Saskatchewan MLA and cabinet minister Lon Borgerson replaces 2011 NDP candidate Valerie Mushinski, who placed second in the last three elections. Perhaps one of the province’s most intriguing candidates, former Prince Albert mayor and MP Gordon Kirkby, now a lawyer, returns to try to revive Liberal fortunes in the constituency. Liberals have not cracked 10 per cent of the vote since 2006 and have not placed second since 2000. Kirkby made the jump from P.A. city councillor to mayor in 1988 and held the job until running successfully for the Liberals in the 1993 election in the Prince Albert-Churchill River riding. But Kirkby finished third in the his 1997 re-election bid behind winner Derrek Konrad of the Reform Party and the NDP’s Ray Funk. Kirkby tried to regain the mayor’s chair in 2006, but fell short. Borgerson, an educator, served as NDP MLA for the Saskatchewan Rivers riding from 2003 to 2007 and was named the minister of regional economic and co-operative development in the Lorne Calvert government. Borgerson hopes to capitalize on weariness after nine years of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and displayed a sense of humour, singing and playing the guitar to a song called Heave Steve, a video that has been viewed more than 35,000 times on YouTube. Kirkby intends to take aim at the Conservatives’ credibility on crime and punishment: “We have a government that says they’re tough on crime, but crime in Prince Albert is up significantly,” he told the Prince Albert Daily Herald. They face a formidable task. The Conservatives — and its right-wing predecessors, the Reform Party and Conservative Party of Canada — have increased the winning share of votes each election, from 38.1 per cent in 1997 to 62.2 per cent in 2011. — Phil Tank, The StarPhoenix REGINA-LEWVAN CANDIDATES Trent Fraser (Conservative) Tamela Friesen (Green) Louis Browne (Liberal) Wojciech K Dolata (Libertarian Party of Canada) Erin Weir (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Urban-only riding, with a mix of family homes, duplexes and apartments in new developments and older neighbourhoods. Population: 78,465 Aboriginal population: 7.4 per cent Immigrant population: 10.4 per cent Visible minority population: 9.8 per cent Mother tongue: English 88.1 per cent; non-official languages 10.7 per cent; French 1.2 per cent Religion: Christian 69.3 per cent; no religious affiliation 26.6 per cent; Muslim 1.6 per cent

Unemployment rate: 4.2 per cent Average family income: $109,505 Average value of dwelling: $323,619 INCUMBENT No incumbent. Regina-Lewvan is a new riding, created in the 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution. WHAT TO WATCH The race for Regina-Lewvan will be an interesting one. For starters, it’s a shiny new riding. While that means we can't look to history to get a feeling for how things might pan out, Elections Canada’s transposition data has it as a close race between the NDP and Conservatives. Transposition data is used to glean the two political parties that would have obtained the highest number of votes in the previous general election, if it had been held within the boundaries of the new electoral district. According to the analysis of Regina-Lewvan, the NDP would have received 45.2 per cent of the vote, and the Conservatives 43.9 per cent, in the 2011 election (with Liberals at 8.2 per cent and the Greens 2.8 per cent). Mind you, as one candidate points out, thousands of people in the riding didn't bother to vote in 2011, so those votes are potentially up for grabs. The other interesting tidbit in Regina-Lewvan is candidate name recognition. The NDP’s candidate, economist Erin Weir, has been in campaign mode for the past year or so, turning up to event after event with a handshake and an introduction letting you know he’s running for the NDP. In political circles, Weir is certainly no unknown. He ran against Liberal stalwart Ralph Goodale in Regina-Wascana in 2004, losing mightily, and was briefly in the race for the post-Lingerfelter provincial NDP leadership from September 2012 to February 2013. While Conservative Trent Fraser is a political neophyte, he’s well-known in the Regina business community, plus he's got his work with the Saskatchewan Roughriders on his side. Sure, he’s no household name like player-turned-provincial MLA Gene Makowsky, but he does take credit for being the man behind marketing the now ubiquitous Rider watermelons. Then you’ve got the Liberal candidate, Louis Browne. While his party picked up only a sprinkling of votes in 2011, according to transposition data, Browne has the advantage of being a former City of Regina councillor — plus his name will be first on the ballot, thanks to Canada's alphabetical listing system. The lone woman in the group is Green Party candidate Tamela Friesen, an admissions clerk at the University of Regina who ran in the 2011 federal election in Manitoba. What she lacks in name recognition she makes up for in social media enthusiasm, having tweeted more than any of her opponents in recent weeks. — Emma Graney, Regina Leader-Post REGINA-QU’APPELLE CANDIDATES Andrew Scheer (Conservatives) Greg Chatterson (Green) Della Anaquod (Liberal) Nial Kuyek (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Rural except for a section of the City of Regina including 12 First Nations. Population: 71,885 Aboriginal population: 21 per cent Immigrant population: 6.1 per cent Visible minority population: 5.8 per cent Mother tongue: English 90 per cent; non-official languages 8.1 per cent; French 0.8 per cent Religion: Christian 67 per cent; no religious affiliation 27 per cent; traditional aboriginal spiritually 3.5 per cent

Unemployment rate: 4.2 per cent Average family income: $82,420 Average value of dwelling: $264,805 INCUMBENT Andrew Scheer (Conservatives) WHAT TO WATCH The Conservatives have held onto this seat since 2004 and will fight to retain it. Two of the three candidates vying for the position are new to federal politics and will have their work cut out for them if they hope to unseat Andrew Scheer – the 35th Speaker of the House of Commons. If it were to happen, it would be a David-versus-Goliath victory ­— one which Scheer knows all too well. Back in 2004, he was a young 25-year-old waiter with a love for politics who was able to defeat the NDP’s Lorne Nystrom in a constituency the party dominated for decades. In his first acceptance speech, Scheer thanked rural voters for the victory. This year, the election may once again come down to an urban versus rural battle with 97 urban polls and 114 rural polls. Despite being new to politics, Liberal candidate Della Anaquod’s credentials include bachelor degrees in indigenous studies and economics, a law degree and a masters in business administration. The other newbie is the NDP’s Kuyek, but as the general manager of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, his name is recognizable in the rural community. Historically, First Nations have not turned out to vote in numbers, but as they make up 21 per cent of the riding it does have the potential to make things interesting this year. Grassroots organizations such as Indigenous Vote Saskatchewan have been promoting the need to vote among aboriginal people. With 12 First Nations in the riding, this fact has not been lost on the Liberal and the NDP candidates both of whom have already been out to First Nations as part of their campaign. In the last election, Scheer received 15,897 votes, which represented 53.5 per cent of the vote. The NDP received 11,419 votes or 38.4 per cent. The Liberals received only 1,400 votes or 4.7 per cent while at 879 the Green received three per cent of the total vote. Though experienced, the support for the Green Party’s Greg Chatterson has been on a downward slide. The untapped aboriginal vote may play a factor in rural Saskatchewan as Conservatives, NDP and Greens fight for the farmer’s vote. Attention should also be paid to the urban riding, which consists of the North Central, Coronation Park, Argyle Park/Englewood, Uplands and Eastview neighbourhoods where the aboriginal vote may also make an impact. In North Central, 44 per cent of the residents are aboriginal. Aboriginal people also comprise 10 to 11 per cent of the total population of the four other communities. — Kerry Benjoe, Regina Leader-Post REGINA-WASCANA CANDIDATES Michael Kram (Conservative) Frances Simonson (Green) Ralph Goodale (Liberal) April Bourgeois (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Mixed urban and rural — includes southeast Regina going south to Bechaud and east to Candiac. Population: 75,570 Aboriginal population: 7 per cent Immigrant population: 12.8 per cent Visible minority population: 13.7 per cent Mother tongue: English 83.3 per cent; non-official languages 15.1 per cent; French 1.5 per cent Religion: Christian 68.3 per cent; no religious affiliation 25.8 per cent; Muslim two per cent

Unemployment rate: 4.9 per cent Average family income: $60,308 Average value of dwelling: $340,798 INCUMBENT Ralph Goodale (Liberal) WHAT TO WATCH Can “King Ralph” be beat? Unlikely, but stranger things have happened. Goodale is the only Liberal in the province, and has held the Wascana seat for longer than many of his now-old-enough-to-vote constituents have been alive. In the last election, Goodale walked away with 40 per cent of the vote. He got a bit of a scare from the Conservatives, who came in with 36 per cent. The cast of opponents this time around is, once again in this election, made up of largely unknown candidates. Michael Kram, representing the Conservatives, is promisingly young. He’ll likely be using this as a chance to dip his feet into electoral politics. The NDP’s April Bourgeois has a few claims to Regina left-wing fame — she was a founder of the alt-weekly newspaper Prairie Dog — but has never ran for office. Frances Simonson of the Green Party has experience in federal politics, but will also be a new name for the people of Regina-Wascana. So, it is Goodale’s race to lose. Like most everywhere else, the economy is likely to be top of mind for those living in Wascana. A dark horse issue could be infrastructure needs and housing. The riding has needs for both, and political insiders predict it could come up in future debates. — D.C. Fraser, Regina Leader-Post SASKATOON-GRASSWOOD CANDIDATES Scott Bell (NDP) Mark Bigland-Pritchard (Green) Tracy Muggli (Liberal) Kevin Waugh (Conservative) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Boundaries run north along the Eighth Street and northeast along Highway 5, run east along Range Road 3040 into the R.M. of Corman Park, south along Tamke Road and west along the South Saskatchewan River. The riding includes older neighbourhoods such as Buena Vista and Exhibition along with newer neighbourhoods such as Stonebridge and Rosewood. Population: 70,995 Aboriginal population: 5.9 per cent Immigrant population: 10.9 per cent Visible minority population: 11.2 per cent Mother tongue: 83,2 per cent English, 13.9 per cent non-official languages, 1.6 per cent French Religion: 68.1 per cent Christian, 26.7 per cent no religious affiliation, 3.0 per cent Muslim Unemployment rate: 5.7 per cent Average household income: $47,116 Average value of dwelling: $363,581 INCUMBENT No incumbent WHAT TO WATCH Conservative candidate Kevin Waugh shocked politicos by defeating incumbent Lynne Yelich, Blackstrap MP and parliamentary secretary, for the Tory’s nomination in this new federal riding. Waugh is a sports broadcaster with CTV Saskatoon and brings a bit of political experience to the race as a current Saskatoon Public School Division trustee. Without an incumbent’s advantage and the new urban boundaries — one of three urban ridings now in Saskatoon after the rural-urban ridings were redrawn — the NDP, Liberal and Green candidates see a competitive advantage with this fresh start. Polls put the NDP and its candidate Scott Bell, a federal government lawyer with a focus on aboriginal law, in a neck-and-neck race with Waugh. Bell is a self-described community activist who’s worked on LGBT issues and with the francophone community.

Liberal candidate Tracy Muggli has a bit of a profile as the face of different initiatives she’s worked on as the Saskatoon Health Region’s director of mental health and addictions services. Between Muggli and Bell, the race could lean on social justice issues. Energy consult Mark Bigland-Pritchard is running for a second time as a Green Party candidate, so expect about social issues from this campaign as well in addition to climate change and public transit. The riding is a mix of old neighbourhoods and brand new suburban developments, making for a constituency of young families, seniors and students, and more than 10 per cent of the riding’s population consists of visible minorities. Expect a race that covers issues across the Canadian mosaic. — Jeremy Warren, Saskatoon StarPhoenix SASKATOON-UNIVERSITY CANDIDATES Brad Trost (Conservative) Val Harvey (Green) Cynthia Block (Liberal) Claire Card (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Encompassing Saskatoon’s northwest, the Saskatoon-University riding is bordered by Warman Road to the west, Eighth Street to the south, Llewllyn Road to the east and the Northeast Swale to the north. Unsurprisingly, the riding contains the University of Saskatchewan campus and newer neighbourhoods including University Heights, Willowgrove and Erindale. Population: 74,945 Aboriginal population: 6.3 per cent Immigrant population: 11.1 per cent Visible minority population: 11.8 per cent Mother tongue: English 82.0 per cent; non-official languages 15.1 per cent; French 1.7 per cent Religion: Christian 66.2 per cent; no religious affiliation 28.2 per cent; Muslim 2.6 per cent Unemployment rate: 3.9 per cent Average household income: $95,366 Average value of dwelling: $379,735 INCUMBENT Saskatoon-University is a new urban riding created through a riding redistribution process. Conservative candidate Brad Trost holds the soon-disappearing Saskatoon-Humboldt riding that includes the rural communities of Wakaw, Muenster and Quill Lake. WHAT TO WATCH Saskatoon-University, like the other two new urban Saskatoon ridings, is expected to be a tight race between the Conservatives and NDP. Backbench MP Brad Trost took the hybrid rural-urban riding of Saskatoon-Humboldt by more than 6,600 votes in 2011, but the new riding boundaries are not expected to favour the Tories, who typically pull in the most votes in rural areas. Joe Garcea, a political-science professor at the University of Saskatchewan, said the only outcome that would surprise him would be a Green Party victory. “There’s no doubt that there’s an anti-Harper, anti-Conservative move out there — a look for anything but. The question will be: What effect that will have on Mr. Trost?” Garcea said. Both Liberal candidate Cynthia Block, a former CTV news anchor, and NDP candidate Claire Card, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine, are well-known in the community. A split vote between them would benefit Trost, who said his party will focus in efforts in ridings like his where the race is expected to be close. The NDP have been polling well in Saskatchewan in recent months and Garcea said he expects the party to finish “at least in a strong second place” in Saskatoon-University. — Andrea Hill, The StarPhoenix SASKATOON-WEST CANDIDATES Randy Donauer (Conservative)

Glendon Toews, Green) Lisa Abbott (Liberal) Sheri Benson (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Stretching from Corman Park in the west to the South Saskatchewan River in the east, the urban riding includes the airport, the north industrial area, the CN train yards and more developed neighbourhoods including Riversdale, City Park and Caswell Hill. Population: 75,245 Aboriginal population: 18.0 per cent Immigrant population: 13.4 per cent Visible minority population: 15.0 per cent Mother tongue: 80.1 per cent English, 16.4 per cent non-official languages, 1.2 per cent French Religion: 64.5 per cent Christian, 30.2 per cent no religious affiliation, 2.1 per cent Muslim Unemployment rate: 6.2 per cent Average household income: $65,228 Average value of dwelling: $277,593 INCUMBENT Saskatoon-West is a new urban riding created through a riding redistribution process. There is no incumbent. WHAT TO WATCH If Saskatoon-West had been a riding in 2011, the seat would have gone to the NDP. Now, the race there is widely considered one of the nation’s most exciting to watch. “It’s very possible that whoever wins this riding ends up forming government. It’s that kind of swing riding, that kind of a barometer riding,” said David McGrane, a political-science professor at University of Saskatchewan. Saskatoon-West is shaping up to be a battle between local United Way CEO Sheri Benson, who’s running for the NDP, and Conservative candidate Randy Donauer, a sitting city councillor. Lawyer Lisa Abbott, who is well known with the local aboriginal community, is campaigning for the Liberals. Both Benson and Donauer are known entities in Saskatoon-West. A chunk of Ward 5, which Donauer represents, is within the riding (the neighbourhoods of Silverwood Heights, Lawson Heights and River Heights are in the Saskatoon-University riding), while Benson’s outreach work has taken her across the city, particularly to poorer areas. Donauer will likely try to woo voters in the outer ring of the riding where Conservative support is strongest, while hoping the NDP and Liberals split the rest of the vote. “There’s definitely a path to victory for the Conservatives and I think that’s it,” McGrane said. Benson and her campaign team, to counter that, are sure to warn voters that this is a two-way race and that a vote for the Liberals is a vote for the Conservatives. “It comes down to the way the anti-Conservative vote splits,” McGrane said. “It’s going to be interesting.”— Andrea Hill, The StarPhoenix SOURIS-MOOSE MOUNTAIN CANDIDATES Robert Kitchen (Conservative) Bob Deptuck (Green) Vicky O’Dell (NDP) Steven Bebbington (Liberal) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Mostly rural with two cities — Estevan and Weyburn. The riding is located in the southeast corner of the province. The boundary begins east along the Manitoba border at the Qu’Appelle River down to the U.S. border. It continues west along the U.S. border to Coronach, north to Willow Bunch Lake, then northeast to Milestone and Grenfell. Population: 70,330 Aboriginal population: 8.8 per cent Immigrant population: 3.5 per cent Visible minority population: 2.0 per cent Mother tongue: English 92.4 per cent; non-official languages 5.2 per cent; French 1.8 per cent Religion: Christian 75.7 per cent; no religious affiliation 21.5 per cent; traditional aboriginal spirituality 1.9 per cent

Unemployment: 5.6 per cent Average household income: $96,613 Average value of dwellings: $211,746 INCUMBENT None WHAT TO WATCH With four-time MP Ed Komarnicki not running this election, residents in the riding of Souris-Moose Mountain will send a new face to Parliament Hill. Three candidates are officially vying for the MP job, including first-time Conservative candidate Robert Kitchen, who has the task of keeping the party’s recent winning streak going. Kitchen, an Estevan-based chiropractor, was born in England while his father served in the Canadian military. He has lived in Estevan with his wife for 24 years and raised a family. Vicky O’Dell is challenging Kitchen to be the first NDP candidate to win the riding. Also a first-time candidate, O’Dell was born in Spiritwood and lives in Weyburn. A former a health-care worker and two-time cancer survivor, O’Dell works as a national representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Green Party candidate Bob Deptuck is hoping the third time is a charm after coming in last in the 2008 and 2011 elections with 1,643 and 898 votes, respectively. Liberal Party candidate Steven Bebbington joined the race after the other candidates announced. Bebbington works at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre in Regina. Some of the main election issues in the riding include health care, the economy, roadway and infrastructure improvements, lower taxes, child care and funding for municipalities. One party insider added that the relationship between agriculture and the environment is a growing concern in the riding. He explained that weather conditions have become more extreme, especially with rainfall, drought and hail, and have had a negative impact on farming. Komarnicki, first elected in 2004, was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2011 with an average of 20,057 votes (69 per cent). By comparison, the second-place finisher in each election since 2006 averaged 5,247 votes. In this election, the candidates (except Bebbington) squared off in a debate hosted by the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce last month. Another debate, this time hosted by the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for Oct. 14. — Terrence McEachern, Regina Leader-Post YORKTON-MELVILLE CANDIDATES Cathay Wagantall (Conservative) Elaine Hughes (Green) Undeclared (Liberal) Doug Ottenbreit (NDP) RIDING PROFILE Characteristics: Covers Yorkton, Melville, Esterhazy, Canora and surrounding rural areas. Population: 69,830 Aboriginal population: 9.6 per cent Immigrant population: 3.5 per cent Visible minority population: 2.1 per cent Mother tongue: English 86.7 per cent; non-official languages 11 per cent; French one per cent Religion: Christian 76.5 per cent; no religious affiliation 21.2 per cent; traditional spiritualism two per cent Unemployment rate: 5.4 per cent Average family income: $78,134 Average value of dwelling: $167,992 INCUMBENT Open seat WHAT TO WATCH Yorkton-Melville is one of five open seats in the province and, with boundaries largely unchanged from the previous election, candidates will have to negotiate its large urban-rural profile.

Held since 1993 by Conservative Garry Breitkreuz, who represented at times the Reform and Alliance parties, the riding will be fought over by a new Tory candidate, as well as representatives from the three other main parties.

