Veteran Politician Andrew Scheer Year Seventeen as Member of Parliament
By Stephen Lylyk on September 20, 2021
Citizens park at Ecole Monseigneur De Laval, Pavillion secondary des Quatre-Vents on Election Day anticipating to cast their votes in the Regina Quapelle District on Election day 2021
Citizens of the Regina Fort Qu’Appelle Area come to the ballot box today to vote for their next member of Parliament. The area of Regina Fort Qu’appelle has been represented by Andrew Scheer since 2004. It was in that year where then Candidate Scheer edged out an incumbent member of parliament in Lorne Nystrom, (2004 Canadian election results in Saskatchewan https://www.sfu.ca/~aheard/elections/2004-SASK.html) and would hold on and grow his hold in the district winning in 2019 by 16706 votes (CBC News https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/elections/federal/2019/results/riding/21840/)
Through many interviews it became clear that Scheer has grown his appeal due to a large Conservative base in his riding. One question that I asked voters was why they believed Scheer has resonated in this riding for as long as he has. In response, even a pro-Scheer female interviewee in her opinion viewed that the main reason Scheer has lasted in his riding as long as he had due to a “lack of realistic challengers from other parties”.
Another question was related to how Scheer has represented his district in seventeen years as their member of Parliement. On the positive side, Scheer has been able to accomplish goals such as fixing things when needed. A female voter critiqued Scheer’s pro-life positions and that the rights of female bodily autonomy were “shit on”. a disabled female voter, upon being asked, mentioned their dissatisfaction with Scheer’s responses in his attempts to address disability programs, as well as disapproval for his alleged embezzlement scandal. Alex Boutilier of the Toronto Star mentions the scandal as Scheer was accused of “using conservative party money to pay for his children’s private schooling.” (. Alex Boutilier, Toronto Star. Andrew Scheer resigns after private school scandal, )
When asked about Scheer’s character, all subjects gave varying answers. A Female voter who Critiqued Scheer’s pro-life stance stated she believed that Scheer “didn’t have any character”. A Female voter gave a stern critique on Scheer’s embezzlement scandal calling him”Slimy” ( ). Through my brief history of knowing Mr. Scheer, he has come across as a Kind, and pleasant man. That is a view shared by a male interviewee when asked about the topic.
Scheer has lasted in the Political world for many years, so it is for one to ask, how will he be remembered upon retirement? There are 2 differentiating viewpoints that I believe work best. The first being a kind, and pleasant man who has lasted successfully through many years as a result of an appeal to his base, showing he cared for the members of his district. The second viewpoint is shared by those who view Scheer as a failed party leader, caught in an embezzlement scandal, and whose viewpoints aren’t shared by large amounts of Canadians.
