Lumsden—Morse

Lumsden—Morse is a sprawling rural constituency stretching along the Trans-Canada Highway between Swift Current and Regina. The riding was created for the 2016 redistribution, absorbing much of the former Thunder Creek constituency. Veteran Saskatchewan Party MLA Lyle Stewart, who had represented Thunder Creek since 1999, transitioned to the new riding and won it in 2016. Stewart was one of the longest-serving members of the Saskatchewan Party caucus and had served as Minister of Agriculture from 2012 until stepping down from cabinet in August 2018 due to a colon cancer diagnosis—his second battle with cancer after a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2014. He remained on as the riding's MLA and sought re-election in 2020.

Candidates

Lyle Stewart (Saskatchewan Party) — Stewart was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1999 as the MLA for Thunder Creek and served continuously for over two decades. He briefly served as interim leader of the Saskatchewan Party and Leader of the Opposition in 2004. After the party formed government in 2007, he held several cabinet portfolios, serving as Minister of Enterprise and Innovation before becoming Minister of Agriculture in 2012. A lifelong resident of the region, Stewart was deeply connected to the agricultural community that defines the riding.

Nic Lewis (NDP) — Lewis grew up in Lumsden and Regina Beach and lived in Regina at the time of the election. He paid his way through university by working in long-term care and campaigned on bringing essential services back to rural Saskatchewan, arguing that his work experience gave him a better understanding of where resources needed to be allocated in small communities.

Les Guillemin (Buffalo Party) — Guillemin was a Buffalo Party candidate who had been a long-time Regina resident and was employed by a crane company. He ran on the party's platform of greater provincial autonomy from the federal government.

Isaiah Hunter (Green Party) — Hunter attended Lumsden Elementary School and Lumsden High School before studying at the University of Regina and SaskPolytech. He was active with Scouts Canada and local volunteer organizations. Hunter is the son of Saskatchewan Green Party leader Naomi Hunter.

Local Issues

Agriculture is the lifeblood of the Lumsden—Morse constituency, and the 2016-2020 term brought several challenges for producers. The fall 2019 harvest was disrupted by excessive rain followed by early cold weather and snow, which halted harvesting and left crops in the field across much of Saskatchewan. Canola prices fell during this period, hitting Saskatchewan producers particularly hard as the province is the country's largest canola producer. Provincial realized net farm income also saw a notable decline in 2019, with lower oilseed receipts contributing to the drop.

The riding's connection to its long-time MLA's role as agriculture minister gave the constituency a direct link to provincial farm policy. When Stewart stepped down from cabinet in 2018 to focus on his cancer treatment, it marked a transition for a riding that had benefited from having the agriculture minister as its representative. Highway maintenance and rural infrastructure were also persistent concerns, as the constituency's geography along the Trans-Canada corridor and its network of secondary roads required ongoing provincial investment to support the movement of agricultural products to market.