The leader of the Green Party is running to become Melfort’s next MLA.

Shawn Setyo said he’s running in Melfort because it’s time for his party to expand beyond the province’s urban centres.

article continues below

“We need to expand our scope of understanding and run in rural elections and have candidates run in them to speak with the residents in the constituency to understand the issues and problems that are facing them and to see if the Green Party can develop policy that could directly address their issues,” he said.

Setyo is a graduate from the University of Saskatchewan and has worked in Saskatoon for a tech and software company in the city. He also sold satellite dishes door-to-door between Saskatoon and Melfort, so he’s familiar with the area.

The Green leader has been campaigning in Melfort. He said business owners have told him that they are getting squeezed by higher civic taxes due to provincial cuts on municipalities.

“What the Greens are trying to figure out now is how can small, rural municipalities increase revenue streams and diversify where they get their revenue so businesspeople and locals aren’t squeezed so heavily and can run their businesses and prolong its success.”

After speaking to local farmers, Setyo said the increased salinization of the soil is a major concern in the constituency.

“The Greens, right now, are developing policy that will, hopefully, be ready by the next election that can address this issue,” he said. “This includes more sustainable farming practices as well as rotating crops.”

Setyo said his party had nothing specific about the flooding of the Quill Lakes, but it would be something he’d look further into.

The leader is also making plans to campaign in the small communities in the constituency, as well as the James Smith First Nation.

Setyo said he’s not sure how being the leader of the Green Party will affect his campaign in Melfort, but he did say that more news outlets have been reaching out to him and his party lately.

“I don’t know if that will have a direct result on how many votes I get but I think right now the most important objective is to let people know that the Greens are on the ballot, that if anyone out there views social justice, views ecological wisdom and sustainability as a top priority, that they have the option to vote for the Green Party that will fight for their values.”

Setyo will face Todd Goudy of the Saskatchewan Party and Lorne Schroeder of the New Democrats in the March 1 byelection.

The Progressive Conservative Party announced it wouldn’t run in the byelection to save money for the general election.