With the federal election underway, a number of different organizations want to have their voices heard with different priorities around the province. For the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), they want to make sure that whatever policies are adopted support growth and keep Saskatchewan's residents safe.
Randy Goulden, president of SUMA, lays out their campaign to have their voices heard.
"SUMA has taken a stance starting last summer when we did a campaign that said 'We Are Urban'. So the urban municipalities, resort villages, villages, towns, cities, and northern communities - we are looking for our federal government in this election."
SUMA's campaign is looking at three key areas of focus, which they believe will be the best methods to encourage the development of urban municipalities in Saskatchewan.
The main planks for the group consist of:
- Infrastructure - Expanding cost-sharing with the federal government through expanded community grant programs.
- Economy - Creating economic certainty by supporting key services in rural regions, such as Canada Post
- Community Safety and Well-Being - Making sure the community safety programs are well-funded
"We are partners in where our residents and we are shared residents with the province and the country where they live."
SUMA has been keeping tabs on the campaign trail, as party leaders are heading into the third week of the election cycle. She noted that the organization wants to lay out their priorities so they can be addressed once a new prime minister is elected into office after April 28.
"That's the reason that we're doing this campaign -- so that the needs of municipalities, the requirements of municipalities are reflected in their platforms. And that when the successful party is in power, that we see the changes that we're looking for."
With election day coming up, Goulden hopes for plenty of conversations about what the federal government can do for rural municipalities.
"Take a really good look at what SUMA is doing and what information we're putting out. So that when candidates are coming to their doors, when there are all-candidates forums happening across the province, in our community, we can ask these relevant questions."
Goulden says, in terms of a message, SUMA wants to make municipalities matter with the upcoming federal election.