UPDATE: 10:18 p.m.: DiscoverEstevan can now project that incumbent MLA Lori Carr will retain the Estevan-Big Muddy riding. The leading party has yet to be decided, as votes are being counted in the urban areas. You can see Carr's initial comments here.
Original story below
At the time of writing, we are still waiting for election results to be counted throughout the province, including the Estevan-Big Muddy riding. As the doors closed on another voting season, DiscoverEstevan asked a handful of voters what they would like the next government to focus on - regardless of the winner.
JOE
Healthcare
"Well, the waiting lists are too long. The time is too long for people to get the healthcare that they need and that can only be resolved if the government takes action to bring in more doctors, more nurses and more equipment."
Other priorities he's looking out for: education, jobs in the southeast, no carbon tax.
"I think the biggest change we need is a government who listens to what the people are saying and actually responds to the needs that the people have," he added.
TONY
Healthcare
"Since COVID-19. I think healthcare has suffered in the province in all provinces and I think that should be top priority for the whole of Canada. Being someone that had to wait two years for a spinal fusion and having another emergency surgery, that wasn't so much an emergency, but more like 2 months. That was very detrimental and chronic pain and also having skin cancer at the same time. The hospital system was going to make me wait six months for a consultation, but I decided to take my power into my own hands."
Tony added that he ended up going to a private clinic in Regina for inquiries and consultations. "There's ways to do things I guess if you can take the power into your own hands, but I really think that [the patients] really do suffer."
"I'd like there to be rational people that actually do care and they listen to the voice of their people. With these unsettled times all over the globe, I really think that we really need to be focused and paying attention on every little thing too, like everything's important."
Miles
Fiscal Responsibility
"I think right now, especially in these times, more financial accountability. You know, fiscal responsibility, those kind of things is probably the highest priority. So I think we're a little short on that right now and transparency in the province."
Sheila + her husband
Healthcare and taking care of the seniors
"I just want to be able to, when we need to see a doctor, be able to get in and see when there's so many people that don't even have a family physician and the wait times at the hospitals and her surgeries are terrible," Sheila mentioned.
"Up the amount of old age pension and the Canada pension for seniors to at least match the cost of living. It's gone up throughout the years. We need to catch up somewhat too," her husband, who didn't want to be named, shared.
In an earlier poll conducted by DiscoverEstevan, affordability, healthcare, education, and accountability are some of the issues that are top of mind for residents in the southeast. Conversely, those topics are what our audience felt that the government has ignored.
Follow along with the election results here.