Expert says Sask. Party can benefit from video text message campaign

The Saskatchewan Party is altering the way it campaigns through technology.

Over the last little bit, people across Saskatchewan have heard their phone ding and have seen a notification of a text message from the Sask. Party in preparation for the expected fall election.

The message includes a video that has a caption that says “The NDP is Trudeau’s choice for Saskatchewan.”

The video accuses NDP Leader Carla Beck of travelling to Ottawa to plot a strategy to get both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh re-elected.

The federal New Democrats have a confidence-and-supply agreement that has helped keep Trudeau’s Liberal government in power since March of 2022.

Daniel Westlake, an assistant professor of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan, said it’s a simple strategy.

“You’ve got an unpopular Liberal government that is particularly unpopular in Saskatchewan,” said Westlake. “The Sask. Party benefits from linking their opponents in the Sask. NDP to that (Liberal) government.”

While receiving text messages from political parties isn’t anything new when it comes to campaigning, adding a video is something that isn’t as common.

Westlake said that tells him the political campaign landscape could be changing.

“The technology behind this is interesting,” he said. “It strikes me that as communication technology changes, then the way parties will campaign and try to reach voters will as well.”

Westlake doesn’t expect this to pose any extra risk to the Sask. Party going into the election.

“The people that are likely to be upset by this are not the people the Sask. Party is trying to win over,” he said. “My instinct here is that the Sask. Party is trying to present themselves as a defender of Saskatchewan against the federal government.”

If this new way of campaigning works well for the Sask. Party, Westlake said he wouldn’t be shocked to see other provincial political parties also follow suit.

“Parties are trying to reach voters any way they can,” said Westlake. “Any way that parties can communicate with voters I expect them to make use of it.”

The text messages have been authorized by the Saskatchewan Party to be sent out.

650 CKOM reached out to both the Saskatchewan Party and the NDP for comment, but hadn’t heard back by the time of publication.