1982 Saskatchewan general election

1982 Saskatchewan general election

April 26, 1982 (1982-04-26)
64 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 33 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	83.9%
First party Second party   PC Leader Grant Devine Allan Blakeney Party Progressive Conservative New Democratic Leader since November 9, 1979 July 4, 1970 Leader's seat Estevan Regina Elphinstone Last election 17 44 Seats before 15 44 Seats won 55 9 Seat change 40 35 Popular vote 289,311 201,390 Percentage 54.07% 37.64% Swing 15.99pp 10.44pp
Premier before election Allan Blakeney New Democratic Premier after election Grant Devine Progressive Conservative

The 1982 Saskatchewan general election was held on April 26, 1982, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Grant Devine, defeated the New Democratic Party government of Premier Allan Blakeney, which had governed the province since the 1971 election. The Tories won over half the popular vote, and a large majority in the legislature – the first time that the party had won an outright majority, and making Devine only the second Tory premier in the province's history. The only other time that the Tories had ever led a government was after the 1929 election, when James Anderson led a coalition government of Conservatives, Progressives and independents.

The NDP vote fell to its lowest level since 1938, and the party lost 35 of its 44 seats in the legislature – the second-worst defeat of a sitting government in the province's history, behind only the Saskatchewan Liberal Party's 38-seat loss in 1944. The highest-profile casualty was Deputy Premier Roy Romanow, who was ousted by Tory challenger Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk as part of the Tories' sweep of Saskatoon.

This election included the Aboriginal People's Party, a party focused on issues affecting Saskatchewan's First Nations. The APP's best showing would be in the Cumberland district of northeast Saskatchewan, finishing third – ahead of the Liberal candidate.

Popular feelings of alienation in Saskatchewan from Ottawa reached a high point in 1982. The provincial wing of the Western Canada Concept movement won more votes than the Saskatchewan Liberal Party candidate in over a third of Saskatchewan's constituencies; in three ridings the WCC candidate captured more than 1,000 votes. The WCC would disappear by 1988, and be replaced by the Western Independence Party, and later the Buffalo Party, in the 21st century.

Results

Party		Party leader	Candidates	Seats				Popular vote
				1978	Dissol.	Elected	% Change	#	%	% Change
	Progressive Conservative	Grant Devine	64	17	15	55	+266.7%	289,311	54.07%	+15.99%
	New Democratic	Allan Blakeney	64	44	44	9	-79.5%	201,390	37.64%	-10.44%
	Liberal	Ralph Goodale	64	–	–	–	–	24,134	4.51%	-9.27%
	Western Canada Concept	Ray Bailey	40	*	*	–	*	17,487	3.26%	*
	Independent		8	–	21	–	-100%	1,607	0.30%	+0.28%
	Aboriginal People's		10	*	*	–	*	1,156	0.22%	*
Total			250	61	61	64	+4.9%	535,085	100%
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

Note: * Party did not nominate candidates in previous election. ¹Richard Collver and Dennis Ham, MLAs of the short-lived "Unionest Party".

Percentages

Popular vote PC   54.07% New Democratic   37.64% Liberal   4.51% WCC   3.26% Others   0.52%

Seats summary PC   85.94% New Democratic   14.06%

Ranking

Party		Seats	Second	Third	Fourth	Fifth
	Progressive Conservative	55	8	1	0	0
	New Democratic	9	55	0	0	0
	Liberal	0	1	38	26	1
	Western Canada Concept	0	0	23	16	1
	Aboriginal People's	0	0	1	2	7
	Independent	0	0	1	2	5

Riding results

Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who are not running again.

Northwest Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates					Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept	Other
Athabasca		Bruce Clarke 1,162	Frederick John Thompson 1,606	Willard Quewezance 147		Rod Bishop (Ind.) 976 Vital Morin (APP) 210		Frederick John Thompson
Cut Knife-Lloydminster		Michael Hopfner 4,968	Bob Long 3,963	L. Allison Henderson 109				Robert Gavin Long
Meadow Lake		George McLeod 4,236	Dave Bridger 2,149	R. Hugh Currie 131	Paul S. Pospisil 242	Ray L. Manegre (Ind.) 57		George Malcolm McLeod
Redberry		John Gerich 4,018	Dennis Banda 2,556	Bernadine Droesse 156	Wayne Ratzlaff 303			Dennis George Banda
Rosthern		Ralph Katzman 6,816	Chris Banman 1,889	Bruce Wagner 412		James E. Boschman (Ind.) 188		Ralph Katzman
The Battlefords		Myles Morin 5,737	David Miner 3,625	Mary Friedman 348	Vernon D. Loeppky 249			David Manly Miner
Turtleford		Colin Maxwell 3,825	Lloyd Johnson 2,803	Glenn J. Mason 155				Lloyd Emmett Johnson

Northeast Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates					Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept	Aboriginal People's Party
Cumberland		Edward Charlette 852	Lawrence Riel Yew 2,587	Roy Fosseneuve 251		Leon E. McAuley 329		Norm MacAulay**
Kelsey-Tisdale		Neal Hardy 5,171	Francis E. Schmeichel 2,874	P. Hudson Foga 139	John K. McConaghie 284	Olga Flesjer 32		Neal Herbert Hardy
Kinistino		Bernard Boutin 4,266	Don Cody 3,759	Ed Olchowy 247				Donald William Cody
Melfort		Grant Hodgins 4,626	Norm Vickar 3,099	S. Helen Hamilton 130	Brian Bedard 489			Norman Vickar
Nipawin		Lloyd Sauder 4,267	Irvin G. Perkins 2,844	Ron J. Wassill 231	Bob Fair 627			Richard Collver**
Prince Albert		John Meagher 4,258	Mike Feschuk 4,232	Bill Nutting 369	Earl Switenky 764			Mike Feschuk
Prince Albert-Duck Lake		Phil West 3,491	Jerome Hammersmith 3,500	Mike Scholfield 404	Ron Folstad 873	John H. McLeod 86		Jerome Hammersmith
Shellbrook-Torch River		Lloyd Muller 4,117	George Bowerman 3,274	Jack Greening 287	Stanley Stefanski 667	Garry Standing 65		George Bowerman Shellbrook

February 21, 1983 By-election: Prince Albert-Duck Lake

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Prog. Conservative	Sid Dutchak	4,271	55.78%	+13.99
	NDP	Jerome Hammersmith	3,386	44.22%	+2.32
Total			7,657	100.00

West Central Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept
Arm River		Gerald Muirhead 5,608	Donald Leonard Faris 2,719	Marjorie Towstego 118	Jim Cross 339		Gerald Muirhead
Biggar		Harry Baker 4,437	Elwood Lorrie Cowley 3,070	Neil Vander Nagel 141	Roland Chouinard 327		Elwood Lorrie Cowley
Humboldt		Louis Domotor 4,480	Edwin Tchorzewski 3,946	Ligouri LeBlanc 361	Glen Strueby 168		Edwin Tchorzewski
Kindersley		Robert Andrew 5,211	Wayne Nargang 1,833	Wayne Mah 166	Chuck McIntyre 454		Robert Lynal Andrew
Rosetown-Elrose		Herbert Swan 4,802	Jim Mills 2,327	David Herle 166	Dale Skelton 666		Herbert Junior Swan
Wilkie		James Garner 5,056	Wayne Birn 2,039	Arthur Reil 502			James W.A. Garner

East Central Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates					Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept	Aboriginal People's Party
Canora		Lloyd Hampton 4,398	Gerard Pikula 3,520	Michael Okrainetz 312				Al Matsalla**
Kelvington-Wadena		Sherwin Petersen 4,330	Neil Byers 3,755	Ben Ferrie 215				Neil Byers
Last Mountain-Touchwood		Arnold Tusa 4,588	Gordon MacMurchy 4,059	Charles Schuler 165	Jack McMunn 218			Gordon MacMurchy
Melville		Grant Schmidt 4,172	Pat Krug 3,486	Jack Hanowski 627	Ray Miller 421	Harry Bird 64		John Russell Kowalchuk**
Pelly		Mervyn Abrahamson 3,179	Norm Lusney 3,381	Tom Campbell 476				Norm Lusney
Quill Lakes		Ray Berscheid 3,892	Murray Koskie 3,945	Walter Paulson 448				Murray J. Koskie
Saltcoats		Walt Johnson 3,921	Ed Kaeding 3,531	James Coueslan 416				Ed Kaeding
Yorkton		Lorne McLaren 5,487	Randy Nelson 3,727	Joseph Matsalla 252	Ted Yascheshen 194			Randall Neil Nelson

Southwest Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept
Assiniboia-Gravelbourg		Rene Archambault 2,438	Allen Engel 2,875	Ralph Goodale 2,760	Hugh Clarke 459		Allen Engel
Maple Creek		Joan Duncan 4,228	J.R. Porter 2,158	Bernie Ford 422	Larry English 806		Joan Duncan
Moose Jaw North		Keith Parker 5,859	Glenn Hagel 3,895	Terrance Ocrane 361	Colin Campbell 256		John Skoberg**
Moose Jaw South		Arthur "Bud" Smith 4,110	Gordon Snyder 3,908	Bob Halter 328	Jack Ashton 275		Gordon Taylor Snyder
Morse		Art Martens 3,565	Reg Gross 2,409	Don Meyer 277	Ray L. Bailey 887		Reginald John Gross
Shaunavon		John Bleackley 2,730	Dwain Lingenfelter 2,897	Gratton Murray 745	Barry W. Dixon 1,139		Dwain Lingenfelter
Swift Current		Patricia Anne Smith 4,756	Spencer Wooff 2,941	Anna Patricia White 316	Henry Banman 787		Dennis Ham**
Thunder Creek		Colin Thatcher 4,412	Ron Kurtz 2,036	Gary Sherlock 264	Pat Mullin 442		Colin Thatcher

March 27, 1985 By-election: Thunder Creek

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Prog. Conservative	Richard Swenson	2,670	42.49%	-19.18
	NDP	Betty Payne	1,730	27.53%	-0.93
	Liberal	William Johnstone	1,703	27.10%	+23.41
	WCC	Henry Banman	181	2.88%	-3.30
Total			6,284	100.00

Southeast Saskatchewan

Electoral District		Candidates				Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept
Bengough-Milestone		Bob Pickering 4,571	Jim Liggett 2,653	Tim Maloney 420			Robert Hugh Pickering
Estevan		Grant Devine 5,487	John Chapman 2,947	Heather MacDonald-Doyle 649	Vernon McClement 184		John Chapman
Indian Head-Wolseley		Doug Taylor 4,251	Pat Connolley 2,073	Con Lalonde 571	John Parley 554		Douglas Graham Taylor
Moosomin		Larry Birkbeck 4,165	Fred Easton 2,476	Peter Semchuk 250	Don Donaldson 1,311		Larry Birkbeck
Qu’Appelle-Lumsden		John Gary Lane 5,643	Tom Usherwood 2,372	Cheryl Stadnyk 219	Allan Smith 346		John Gary Lane Qu’Appelle
Souris-Cannington		Eric Berntson 4,093	Dean Fraser 1,639	William Owens 437	Dale Nolin 1,082		Eric Berntson
Weyburn		Lorne Hepworth 5,426	Elaine Driver 3,088	David Wright 422			James Auburn Pepper**

Saskatoon

Electoral District		Candidates						Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept	Aboriginal People's Party	Other
Saskatoon Centre		Jack Sandberg 3,553	Paul Mostoway 2,987	Delores Burkhart 470					Paul Peter Mostoway
Saskatoon Eastview		Kimberly Young 6,981	Bernie Poniatowski 3,736	David Jackson 688					Bernard Poniatowski
Saskatoon Fairview		Duane Weiman 6,185	Bob Mitchell 3,432	David Schwartz 181	Brian Bellamy 200	John Dorion 48		New District
Saskatoon Mayfair		Cal Glauser 7,386	Dave Whalley 3,777	Maureen Darling 441	Don Kavanaugh 186				Beverly Milton Dyck**
Saskatoon Nutana		Evelyn Bacon 3,685	Pat Atkinson 3,580	David Tunney 492					Wes Robbins**
Saskatoon Riversdale		Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk 3,576	Roy Romanow 3,557	Harold Flett 228		Joe Gallagher 143	Alexander Barker (Ind.) 57		Roy Romanow
Saskatoon South		Bob Myers 4,611	Herman Rolfes 3,221	Don McCullough 422	Reid Schmidt 90		Carol Stadnyk (Ind.) 118		Herman Harold Rolfes Saskatoon Buena Vista
Saskatoon Sutherland		Paul Schoenhals 5,328	Mark Koenker 3,026	Ron Hannah 374	Gordon Barnes 116	Cecil King 43			Peter Prebble
Saskatoon University		Rick Folk 3,490	Peter Prebble 3,041	David B. Miller 718	Earl A. Cowley 104		Alphard Fafard (Not affiliated) 28	New District
Saskatoon Westmount		Gay Caswell 3,716	John Edward Brockelbank 3,583	Peter Groves 288		Freda Moosehunter 136			John Edward Brockelbank

Regina

Electoral District		Candidates					Incumbent
		Progressive Conservative	New Democratic	Liberal	Western Canada Concept	Other
Regina Centre		Jim Petrychyn 2,570	Ned Shillington 3,821	Cam McCannell 691	Tyler Benson 165	Gordon Massie (Not affiliated) 66		Edward Shillington
Regina Elphinstone		Ross Reibling 3,066	Allan Blakeney 4,139	Glenn Caleval 255				Allan Blakeney
Regina Lakeview		Tim Embury 4,688	Doug McArthur 3,808	Delores Honour 520				Douglas Francis McArthur
Regina North		Jack Klein 5,845	Stan Oxelgren 3,715	Daryl Boychuk 239			New District
Regina North East		Russ Sutor 5,303	Walt Smishek 3,559	Robert Dall'Olio 178	Ron J. Blashill 201			Walter Smishek
Regina North West		Bill Sveinson 6,797	John Solomon 4,509	Adrian McBride 245	Les R. Kavanaugh 222			John Solomon
Regina Rosemont		Gordon Dirks 5,271	Bill Allen 3,673	Ken M. Grotsky 210	Stewart Coward 206			Bill Allen
Regina South		Paul Rousseau 6,088	Margaret Fern 2,869	Lori Stinson 286				Paul Emile Rousseau
Regina Victoria		Metro Rybchuk 4,108	Henry Baker 3,512	Steve Bata 335	Barbara Duff 184	Jim Harding (Ind.) 117		Henry Harold Peter Baker
Regina Wascana		Gord Currie 5,976	Clint White 3,434	Marlene Lamontagne 483				Clinton Oliver White

November 25, 1985 By-election: Regina North East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	NDP	Edwin Tchorzewski	5,377	70.97%	+32.46
	Prog. Conservative	Wilma Staff	1,768	23.34%	-34.05
	Liberal	Harvey Schick	431	5.69%	+3.76
Total			7,576	100.00

See also

• List of political parties in Saskatchewan
• List of Saskatchewan provincial electoral districts
• Saskatchewan Archives Board - Election Results By Electoral Division
• Elections Saskatchewan: Provincial Vote Summaries

Further reading

• Byers, R. B., ed. (1984). Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs, 1982. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442671966.