Indigenous candidates running for Sask. Party and NDP in northern constituencies

The majority of residents in Saskatchewan's two biggest constituencies are of Indigenous ancestry, and so are the candidates running for the Sask.Party and NDP in Athabasca and Cumberland.

The space of the two northern constituencies together covers about half of Saskatchewan's land area, according to the Saskatchewan government website, but less than four per cent of the province's population live there.

More than 19,600 people live in northern First Nation reserves.

"It does have a significance [that all NDP and Sask. Party candidates are of Indigenous heritage] because 90 per cent of the population is Indigenous," said Darren Deschambeault,the Sask.Party candidate for Cumberland.

"Having Indigenous candidates, you know, you have somebody that you can identify with and you have somebody that understands you."

Unlike the 2016Sask. Party candidate for Cumberland, Deschambeaultis of Indigenous heritage, and he speaks fluent Cree, he said.

Deschambeault runs against NDP's Doyle Vermette who has been MLA for Cumberland since 2008. The constituency is a traditional NDP stronghold.

"I guess having the Indigenous population that we have in Athabasca, in Cumberland, I think it's crucial to have Indigenous candidates and representatives," said Vermette who is of Mtis ancestry.

InAthabasca, Kelly Kwan from Turnor Lake is runningfor the Sask.Party against NDP'sBuckley Belanger, who was first voted into the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1995.

Huge land mass

While COVID-19 has made door knocking difficult for all Saskatchewan candidates during this election, the sheer size of the Cumberland constituency creates additional challenges.

"It's such a big area to cover and try to represent the people in the constituency, to get to them," said Vermette.

Driving from Sturgeon Landing in the south-eastern part of Cumberland to Wollaston Lake in the north-eastmeans a roughly 1,000 km car trip.

"The roads are pretty rough. A lot of it is gravel.... It's very difficult right now with this COVID epidemic that's hitting the communities,"said Deschambeault.

Different issues in the north

Regardless of who will win this provincial election, the MLAs in Saskatchewan's northern constituencies face more than just logistical challenges.

"I think that there is, you know, a need for people who understand and ... who are familiar with the issues of the area," said Priscilla Settee, Indigenous studies professor at the University of Saskatchewan.

High unemployment numbers as well as health care, education, and environment are some of the topics Settee is concerned about when it comes to northern Saskatchewan.

"The youth are not willing to wait forever," she said.

"What we are also tragically seeing is, you know, youth that have given up on life and are ... dying by their own hand. And so these are issues that are really troubling."