Todd Goudy speaks to a group in March after being acclaimed as the Sask. Party rep for the Melfort constituency for the 2020 Provincial Election. (Mat Barrett/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Year in Review

Year in Review: Melfort MLA looks back on busy 2019, ahead to 2020

Dec 20, 2019 | 11:43 AM

It was a busy 2019 for Melfort’s Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Todd Goudy, and it’s expected to be a busy 2020 as well.

Over the past 12 months, Goudy was acclaimed as the Saskatchewan Party representative for the Melfort constituency, and was also named provincial secretary. Goudy said his new position with the province has allowed him to meet a lot of new people.

“It’s been enjoyable,” Goudy told northeastNOW. “As the legislative secretary to the premier, I’m looking forward to the responsibility there.”

Goudy added this year also saw a lot of growth for him as a politician. He said he learned a lot about the legislative process, as well as budget deliberations.

Indirectly affecting Goudy in 2019 though was the federal election that saw a minority Liberal government in Ottawa, and no Liberal seats in Saskatchewan. Goudy said after hearing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments after his victory about reaching out to the West ring true, and the Prairies are treated just as fairly as the East.

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“The relationship between Ottawa and the West in strained,” he said. “We’re hoping to see that the prime minister will serve all the people of Canada.”

Goudy said they believe there is some good progress being made. He said Saskatchewan has some good plans in place in regards to the environment and working with Ottawa.

Recently, the province also rolled out its 10-year growth plan looking ahead to 2030. Goudy said it looks good for the northeast part of Saskatchewan as it is heavy in agriculture. He said processing 75 per cent on canola crops and 50 per cent of pulse crops in Saskatchewan are ambitious goals, but Goudy thinks it’s needed.

“At the end of the day, Saskatchewan’s backbone is agriculture,” he said. “We need to see either better commodity prices, or we need to be processing those grain and oil seeds, pulse crops in Saskatchewan.”

Meanwhile, when it comes to projects coming to the Melfort area, such as a CT Scanner, and funding for water line replacement. Goudy said there is are good things coming down the pipe as the province has amped up its revenue sharing for municipalities. Goudy said he continues to lobby for the projects.

“I’m still pushing hard and doing my best in Regina to secure those things for us,” he said. “But there are needs that are spread out across the province and fairness is there. When our needs reach the front of the queue, I know they will be addressed.”

The provincial election is also in Goudy’s mind as 2020 comes. The election itself doesn’t take place until October, but Goudy said throughout the calendar year, there will be lots campaigning and going door to door and meeting people on top of his day-to-day jobs in Regina.

“The people in this part of the province are the ones you love and who you’re there to serve,” he said. “So I’m looking forward to this year that’s ahead.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6