By Joel van der Veen
MOOSE JAW — Dustan Hlady says a dream of a better Canada, and the standard set by politicians like Tommy Douglas, inspired him to enter politics.
“I believe this is a really, really important election in Canadian history,” Hlady told The Davidson Leader last week. “I’m just excited for this opportunity to help.”
Hlady is the latest candidate to throw his hat into the ring for this district in Canada’s next federal election.
The 34-year-old was nominated to represent the New Democratic Party (NDP) as its candidate in Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan, the new federal riding that will cover the city of Moose Jaw and most of the area between Saskatoon and Regina.
The Moose Jaw Times-Herald reported that about 50 people attended the public meeting at Moose Jaw’s Timothy Eaton Gardens on Saturday, May 2, at which Hlady accepted the nomination.
He joins the Conservative Party’s Tom Lukiwski and the Liberal Party’s Perry Juttla in the race to represent this area in the House of Commons.
Hlady is an Alberta native who came to Saskatchewan to study at Briercrest College and Seminary in Caronport. He moved to Moose Jaw after graduation and lives there today with Carrie, his wife of almost six years, and their sons Reese and Cohen.
He is one year shy of finishing his bachelor of education at the University of Regina. He has worked as an educational assistant and freelance writer, and is also active in the local music scene as part of Friend Friend, an indie rock group consisting of himself, his wife and a rotating cast of additional musicians.
Hlady said he first developed an interest in politics after learning about Canadian history and, in particular, about the late Tommy Douglas, former premier of Saskatchewan and an early leader of the federal New Democratic Party.
“He was one of the most visionary politicians in Canadian history,” said Hlady. “He saw the Canada that could be.”
Hlady said he has developed a passion for politics, viewing them as a means of social change. He completed a year-long internship at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina, and also ran unsuccessfully for Moose Jaw city council in 2013.
He said he wanted to get involved with the local NDP association and hoped to support their candidate in the upcoming election, but then was invited to represent the party himself.
Hlady said he’s on board with the platform touted by New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair, including proposals for a $15-per-hour minimum wage and a national $15-per-day daycare program.
He also said an NDP government would work to reverse some of the Conservatives’ policies on health care, which he credited with forcing some of the provinces into adopting “two-tiered” health programs.
Hlady met Mulcair recently and said he was impressed at how the party leader displayed genuine interest during their conversations, despite his busy schedule.
“You can tell it, even (in) the way he talks to people,” said Hlady. “He’s the real thing.”
Hlady also said he sees a clear distinction between the Conservatives and the NDP, contrasting their candidates, their policies and their visions for Canada, which he described as “drastically different.”
He said he has already begun preparing for the campaign and is looking forward to knocking on doors, attending events and meeting people throughout the riding.
The federal election is expected to fall on Monday, Oct. 19, in alignment with the fixed date set by the Canada Elections Act.
Candidate Tom Lukiwski said in a recent interview that he has a busy summer planned, as he seeks to visit with constituents in his current riding, and also to begin connecting with voters in the new riding.
Lukiwski, 63, currently serves as the Conservative MP for the riding of Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre, which will be dissolved when the new riding boundaries come into effect in time for the election campaign.
A native of Esterhazy and a businessman prior to his entry into politics, Lukiwski has held the riding since 2004. In the 2011 federal election, he was returned for a fourth term as MP, receiving 53.2 per cent of the vote.
Liberal candidate Juttla, 32, is a Regina-based businessman with a background in agriculture, commercial real estate and online marketing, according to his online biography.
He is a graduate of the University of Regina, where he earned bachelor of arts degrees in both economics and political science.
He previously ran as a Liberal candidate in the 2003 Saskatchewan provincial election, contesting the riding of Regina Walsh Acres and finishing in third place out of five candidates.
The new riding of Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan will include the City of Moose Jaw and many smaller communities, including Davidson, Watrous, Dundurn, Lanigan, Lumsden, Regina Beach and Craik.