1982 Saskatchewan general election
← 1978 April 26, 1982(1982-04-26) 1986 →
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64 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan 33 seats needed for a majority
Turnout 83.9%
First party Second party
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
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:
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 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 1,606Willard Quewezance 147 Rod Bishop (Ind.) 976 Vital Morin (APP ) 210 Frederick John Thompson Cut Knife-Lloydminster Michael Hopfner 4,968Bob Long 3,963L. Allison Henderson 109 Robert Gavin Long Meadow Lake George McLeod 4,236Dave Bridger 2,149 R. Hugh Currie 131 Paul S. Pospisil 242 Ray L. Manegre (Ind.) 57 George Malcolm McLeod Redberry John Gerich 4,018Dennis Banda 2,556Bernadine Droesse 156 Wayne Ratzlaff 303 Dennis George Banda Rosthern Ralph Katzman 6,816Chris Banman 1,889 Bruce Wagner 412 James E. Boschman (Ind.) 188 Ralph Katzman The Battlefords Myles Morin 5,737David Miner 3,625Mary Friedman 348 Vernon D. Loeppky 249 David Manly Miner Turtleford Colin Maxwell 3,825Lloyd Johnson 2,803Glenn 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 2,587Roy Fosseneuve 251 Leon E. McAuley 329 Norm MacAulay **Kelsey-Tisdale Neal Hardy 5,171Francis E. Schmeichel 2,874 P. Hudson Foga 139 John K. McConaghie 284 Olga Flesjer 32 Neal Herbert Hardy Kinistino Bernard Boutin 4,266Don Cody 3,759Ed Olchowy 247 Donald William Cody Melfort Grant Hodgins 4,626Norm Vickar 3,099S. Helen Hamilton 130 Brian Bedard 489 Norman Vickar Nipawin Lloyd Sauder 4,267Irvin G. Perkins 2,844 Ron J. Wassill 231 Bob Fair 627 Richard Collver **Prince Albert John Meagher 4,258Mike Feschuk 4,232Bill Nutting 369 Earl Switenky 764 Mike Feschuk Prince Albert-Duck Lake Phil West 3,491 Jerome Hammersmith 3,500Mike Scholfield 404 Ron Folstad 873 John H. McLeod 86 Jerome Hammersmith Shellbrook-Torch River Lloyd Muller 4,117George Bowerman 3,274Jack 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 5,608Donald Leonard Faris 2,719Marjorie Towstego 118 Jim Cross 339 Gerald Muirhead Biggar Harry Baker 4,437Elwood Lorrie Cowley 3,070Neil Vander Nagel 141 Roland Chouinard 327 Elwood Lorrie Cowley Humboldt Louis Domotor 4,480Edwin Tchorzewski 3,946Ligouri LeBlanc 361 Glen Strueby 168 Edwin Tchorzewski Kindersley Robert Andrew 5,211Wayne Nargang 1,833 Wayne Mah 166 Chuck McIntyre 454 Robert Lynal Andrew Rosetown-Elrose Herbert Swan Jim Mills 2,327 David Herle 166Dale Skelton 666 Herbert Junior Swan Wilkie James Garner 5,056Wayne 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 4,398Gerard Pikula 3,520 Michael Okrainetz 312 Al Matsalla **Kelvington-Wadena Sherwin Petersen 4,330Neil Byers 3,755Ben Ferrie 215 Neil Byers Last Mountain-Touchwood Arnold Tusa 4,588Gordon MacMurchy 4,059Charles Schuler 165 Jack McMunn 218 Gordon MacMurchy Melville Grant Schmidt 4,172Pat Krug 3,486 Jack Hanowski 627 Ray Miller 421 Harry Bird 64 John Russell Kowalchuk **Pelly Mervyn Abrahamson 3,179 Norm Lusney 3,381Tom Campbell 476 Norm Lusney Quill Lakes Ray Berscheid 3,892 Murray Koskie 3,945Walter Paulson 448 Murray J. Koskie Saltcoats Walt Johnson 3,921Ed Kaeding 3,531James Coueslan 416 Ed Kaeding Yorkton Lorne McLaren 5,487Randy Nelson 3,727Joseph 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 2,875Ralph Goodale Hugh Clarke 459 Allen Engel Maple Creek Joan Duncan 4,228J.R. Porter 2,158 Bernie Ford 422 Larry English 806 Joan Duncan Moose Jaw North Keith Parker 5,859Glenn Hagel 3,895Terrance Ocrane 361 Colin Campbell 256 John Skoberg **Moose Jaw South Arthur "Bud" Smith 4,110Gordon Snyder 3,908Bob Halter 328 Jack Ashton 275 Gordon Taylor Snyder Morse Art Martens 3,565Reg Gross 2,409Don Meyer 277 Ray L. Bailey 887Reginald John Gross Shaunavon John Bleackley 2,730 Dwain Lingenfelter 2,897Gratton Murray 745 Barry W. Dixon 1,139 Dwain Lingenfelter Swift Current Patricia Anne Smith 4,756Spencer Wooff 2,941 Anna Patricia White 316 Henry Banman 787 Dennis Ham **Thunder Creek Colin Thatcher 4,412Ron 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 4,571Jim Liggett 2,653 Tim Maloney 420 Robert Hugh Pickering Estevan Grant Devine John Chapman 2,947Heather MacDonald-Doyle 649 Vernon McClement 184 John Chapman Indian Head-Wolseley Doug Taylor 4,251Pat Connolley 2,073 Con Lalonde 571 John Parley 554 Douglas Graham Taylor Moosomin Larry Birkbeck 4,165Fred Easton 2,476 Peter Semchuk 250 Don Donaldson 1,311 Larry Birkbeck Qu’Appelle-Lumsden John Gary Lane 5,643Tom Usherwood 2,372 Cheryl Stadnyk 219 Allan Smith 346 John Gary Lane Qu’Appelle Souris-Cannington Eric Berntson 4,093Dean Fraser 1,639 William Owens 437 Dale Nolin 1,082 Eric Berntson Weyburn Lorne Hepworth 5,426Elaine 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 3,553Paul Mostoway 2,987Delores Burkhart 470 Paul Peter Mostoway Saskatoon Eastview Kimberly Young 6,981Bernie Poniatowski 3,736David Jackson 688 Bernard Poniatowski Saskatoon Fairview Duane Weiman 6,185Bob Mitchell 3,432David Schwartz 181 Brian Bellamy 200 John Dorion 48 New District Saskatoon Mayfair Cal Glauser 7,386Dave Whalley 3,777 Maureen Darling 441 Don Kavanaugh 186 Beverly Milton Dyck **Saskatoon Nutana Evelyn Bacon 3,685Pat Atkinson 3,580David Tunney 492 Wes Robbins **Saskatoon Riversdale Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk 3,576Roy Romanow 3,557Harold Flett 228 Joe Gallagher 143 Alexander Barker (Ind.) 57 Roy Romanow Saskatoon South Bob Myers 4,611Herman Rolfes 3,221Don McCullough 422 Reid Schmidt 90 Carol Stadnyk (Ind.) 118 Herman Harold Rolfes Saskatoon Buena Vista Saskatoon Sutherland Paul Schoenhals 5,328Mark Koenker 3,026Ron Hannah 374 Gordon Barnes 116 Cecil King 43 Peter Prebble Saskatoon University Rick Folk 3,490Peter Prebble 3,041David B. Miller 718 Earl A. Cowley 104 Alphard Fafard (Not affiliated) 28 New District Saskatoon Westmount Gay Caswell 3,716John Edward Brockelbank 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 3,821Cam McCannell 691 Tyler Benson 165 Gordon Massie (Not affiliated) 66 Edward Shillington Regina Elphinstone Ross Reibling 3,066 Allan Blakeney Glenn Caleval 255 Allan Blakeney Regina Lakeview Tim Embury 4,688Doug McArthur 3,808Delores Honour 520 Douglas Francis McArthur Regina North Jack Klein 5,845Stan Oxelgren 3,715 Daryl Boychuk 239 New District Regina North East Russ Sutor 5,303Walt Smishek 3,559Robert Dall'Olio 178 Ron J. Blashill 201 Walter Smishek Regina North West Bill Sveinson 6,797John Solomon 4,509Adrian McBride 245 Les R. Kavanaugh 222 John Solomon Regina Rosemont Gordon Dirks 5,271Bill Allen 3,673Ken M. Grotsky 210 Stewart Coward 206 Bill Allen Regina South Paul Rousseau 6,088Margaret Fern 2,869 Lori Stinson 286 Paul Emile Rousseau Regina Victoria Metro Rybchuk 4,108Henry Baker 3,512Steve Bata 335 Barbara Duff 184 Jim Harding (Ind.) 117 Henry Harold Peter Baker Regina Wascana Gord Currie 5,976Clint White 3,434Marlene 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 Further reading Byers, R. B., ed. (1984). . Toronto: University of Toronto Press. ISBN 9781442671966.