Party renewal & democratic renewal

Our party has suffered a significant electoral defeat, is at low membership numbers, and is going through an identity crisis after years of competent but uninspiring governance.

A fitting response to this state of affairs must be to move beyond one-off renewal efforts. Party renewal exercises have been undertaken at regular intervals in the past – with good results. Yet the question must be asked – why must we let the party nearly die before trying to resuscitate it?

Instead, there must be a continuous process of citizen engagement that keeps the party active and healthy. The party membership must not be left silently to the wayside while we are in power, only to be courted again when we fail. We need to make structural changes to the party that ensure that it remains vital and relevant to our members and to our community, whether in opposition or government.

It is not enough to sell memberships. It is not enough to have resolutions passed at convention and then ignored. It is not enough for members to be asked every twenty years what they think the party should do. Consultation should not be token and inconsistent. It should be constant and meaningful.

I fully believe that, given the opportunity and logistical support, our membership is ready and willing to take the lead. I also believe that continued engagement is the key to membership growth. Our constituencies must be given the tools they need to engage in frequent, meaningful dialogue on issues of importance. The party needs to develop mechanisms by which to compile the diverse opinions of multiple constituencies into a cohesive vision that will help us set our policy agenda for the near future and beyond.

Once we regain government, a similar system should be implemented for the entire province. If we develop (either from scratch or using existing structures) regional councils on such issues as health, education, the economy and the environment, we can follow the example of other countries that have been successful in enacting significant reforms and increasing citizen engagement. If given proper logistical supports (eg. meeting coordination, business plan development, environmental assessment) and recognition from the provincial government (eg. in the form of policy changes or matching funds), local areas can direct their own development.

This requires a leap of faith. We must commit to trusting ourselves and our neighbours. The people of Saskatchewan have the ideas to lead the party and the province in building a healthier society—our job is to put the mechanisms in place to bring those ideas to fruition.