Saskatchewan’s 2024 provincial election campaign is close to the finish line and the NDP and Saskatchewan leaders are close to the finish line. The party launches its final appeals.

Monday is the last day of voting (polling stations close on Sunday) and Elections Saskatchewan says the results determining who will govern the province should be released by midnight that day.

The leaders of Saskatchewan’s two main parties were in Saskatoon on Saturday to renew their arguments with voters.

Speaking to reporters after a noon event, Sask. Party leader Scott Moe answered questions about the recent provincial election outside of Saskatchewan.

This includes the New Brunswick election that ended six years of Progressive Conservative rule.

The Liberals won after winning 31 seats. In British Columbia, the race after the election earlier this month remains too close to call and counting resumed this weekend, with the NDP maintaining a narrow lead.

“I would say that the governments in place have had challenges, and that’s probably the case that we’re experiencing: a tough election, I would say here in Saskatchewan. That being said, we have 61 of the best candidates,” Moe said Saturday .

He also addressed some of the unexpected issues that emerged during the election campaign.

That includes a mid-campaign report that former Sask. Party MP Gary Grewal broke conflict of interest rules by owning motels that profited from government contracts.

There was also some confusion about the damage to a Sask. The party’s campaign office that Moe said was caused by gunfire. Police later confirmed the damage was not caused by gunfire.

Then there were defections of former party stalwarts, notably Randy Weekes, formerly of Saskatchewan. Party Member of Parliament and Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly.

Weekes made a series of allegations upon leaving the party, and in recent days was among those throwing support behind the NDP and Carla Beck.

Moe says that despite the challenges, his team ran “a very strong campaign.”

“There have been various discussions in the media and questions asked which we have always been right to provide clarity on. And we think it is important for us as a party, for me as leader, to bring clarity to the people of Saskatchewan.” » said Moe.

He said the party is focused on forming a majority government and planning for a vibrant economy.

Meanwhile, NDP Leader Carla Beck hosted an event outside the Royal University Hospital to talk about health care.

Political experts say the New Democrats need a breakthrough in rural ridings to increase their chances of winning the election.

Speaking to reporters, Beck argued that the issues his party focuses on resonate as much in rural areas as they do in urban cities.

“Our message is not just for urban Saskatchewan, nor for a select few voters. These priorities — lowering the cost of living, repairing our health care system, investing in our children and their education, fighting crime, mental health and addictions that are increasing across this province — these are problems regardless of the community that you live in,” Beck said.

Beck said the NDP spoke with the Saskatchewan Nurses Union to discuss the challenges they face in the health-care system. She says she has a plan to invest more in health care, hire more workers and reduce wait times.

“When it comes to health care, rural Saskatchewan is facing some of the highest numbers of closures. Women giving birth on the side of the road, people left without care, laboratory services are closed, people are forced to get in their cars and drive. sometimes, for more than two hours, with symptoms of a heart attack,” Beck said.

She said she was not excluding any ridings in rural and urban Saskatchewan.

“My whole family lives in rural Saskatchewan. I’ve seen the impact on health care…it’s a message to everyone in the province that we can make this change,” said Beck.

She said that if elected, her priority would be to lower the cost of living, repair the health care system, invest in education and combat crime, mental health and addiction.