Green Party of Saskatchewan - New Green Alliance

New Green Alliance

The New Green Alliance was the original name of the Green Party of Saskatchewan. In the year 1999 the NGA had been recognized as an official party. A convention was set for March to adopt the constitution and a platform for the 1999 election. Premier Roy Romanow declared that the NGA was "40 years out of date". The press commonly described the NGA as an attempt to revive the old CCF. Given the dwindling support for the NDP reflected in all the public opinion polls, the formation of a new party on the left could not be ignored.

In early March a conference was held in Saskatoon, sponsored by the Saskatchewan Coalition for Social Justice: "The Saskatchewan NDP in Power: A Critical Appraisal". Around 150 political activists attended. There was widespread criticism of the Romanow government, and three political options were identified. First there were those who felt that the left should continue to operate within the NDP. This had the weakest support at the conference. The second thrust was to continue to work in popular groups like the SCSJ and the Council of Canadians, which was expanding in Saskatchewan. The third position was to join the New Green Alliance. The conference revealed that many on the left, despite their dismay over the political direction of the NDP, were still not willing to join a new political party.

The second convention of the NGA was held in Saskatoon near the end of March. The constitution was approved in principle. But the primary focus of the convention was the forthcoming election. As required under the constitution, the party platform was adopted at the convention.

The early election caught the NGA by surprise. In all, the party only was able to field 16 candidates. Another eight nominations were in sight but failed to get the necessary support to complete the required formal paperwork by the cut-off date. The NGA were all but shut out by the mainstream media during the general election. The CBC refused to allow Neil Sinclair, the leader of the NGA, to participate in the television debates, and refused to let party members in the studio during the debate. On election night television stations did not put the NGA on their boards recording votes in the ridings. The NGA did relatively well. Where they ran candidates, they received on average five percent of the votes.