A person with strong ties to Cumberland House is seeking to unseat two-term incumbent NDP candidate Doyle Vermette.
Darren Deschambeault was acclaimed as the Saskatchewan Party candidate for Cumberland in mid-September.
Deschambeault went to school in Cumberland House where he was born and raised.
He said the reason he is contesting electoral office is to provide a voice at the government table.
“I think it’s time that we have somebody sitting on the government side, in this province, especially in the north. We haven’t had anybody on the government side, we’ve always maintained the opposition side. And currently, government is making a lot of decisions in this province, with respect to COVID, and also the recovery plan,” said Deschambeault. “Inside government, we have somebody from the opposition. And that only goes so far.”
Deschambeault pointed to rich resources the North currently has and the need to utilize them and the people, specifically building a greater northern economy. “There’s got to be more emphasis on helping with the economy and the north, you know, the we have to look at the labor market. There’s a lot of young people in the north are unemployed, they’re looking for work. We have the resources. So, I think we have to come together with a plan. But I think it all starts with relationships with the people in the north. Once we can establish that I think there’s going to be a new paradigm for the North,” explained Deschambeault.
He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Regina. He has worked in communications for about 30 years and currently works as a communications consultant for an oil and gas company.
Deschambeault was convicted of impaired driving in 2001 and received a pardon for this. The conviction was disclosed to the Sask. Party. He said the conviction changed his life and he has since remained sober.
“Well, at the time there was a lot of drinking going on with a lot of my peers. And it, it opened my eyes, because ever since then I’ve stayed sober. I have not touched any alcohol at all. So, I think it was an eye opener for me at that time. So yeah, I think it was a blessing in disguise,” Deschambeault said.
He said there is excitement in the air about the election and the possibility of him representing the northeast in the Legislature. Election Day is October 26.
(Photo: Darren Deschambeault. Courtesy Facebook.)