This is one that many will want to chalk up in the category of too little, too late.
Nevertheless, there has been noticeable improvement in the performance of NDP leader Dwain Lingenfelter in the early days of the legislature's spring sitting _ the last such gathering before the fall election. Admittedly, many voters out there _ especially voters in rural Saskatchewan voters who still have issues with either Lingenfelter's former NDP government or his personal style of the NDP leadership _ will see any such marginal improvement as irrelevant.
For many, it's simply "too little" after the cancelling of the GRIP (Gross Revenue Insurance Program) contracts with farmers, the closure of 52 rural hospitals and the general deterioration of highways that rural residents enduring during the decade and a half of the NDP government. Those with a grievance against Lingenfelter and his party will see any change in Lingenfelter as "too late". Many will argue that any recent improvement in Lingenfelter's performance comes about 23 years too late after abandoning is rural Shaunavon seat for the sanctuary of a safe inner-city Regina seat.
Many will argue its 10 to 20 years too late, coming after all the NDP government policy decisions of the 1990s that did wreak havoc on rural Saskatchewan. And others will argue its at least 10 years too late after Lingenfelter left Saskatchewan altogether for a cushy role as a Calgary oil company executive.
There's clearly a sense out there that Lingenfelter and his New Democrats still deserve to be punished and a slight improvement in performance in the assembly isn't about to dissuade many Saskatchewan voters from this thought.
Moreover, those whose view of Saskatchewan politics isn't necessarily motivated by a dislike of Lingenfelter and the NDP may simply vote Saskatchewan Party because they do like Premier Brad Wall. Wall's popularity remains incredibly high, And even those not be completely enamoured with the Sask. Party leader or some of his government policies may be relatively content with the overall strong performance of the economy.
In fact, an NDP loss in the fall election is as certain as anything can be in politics and the only question for many is whether we will see something akin to the annihilation level of the 1982 NDP loss to the Grant Devine Conservatives _ a loss that could forever alter the nature of Saskatchewan politics.
Yet notwithstanding the gloomy prospects ahead for his NDP, we do seem to be seeing a different Lingenfelter than the one we witnessed for two years as Opposition leader. The Lingenfelter of last year, whose approval rating was around 16.7 per cent, was providing his party with little direction on issues. His biggest contribution seemed to be his occasional nasty outbursts in the assembly.
But at least so far in this session _ and frankly since the last round of devastating polling results before Christmas _ we are seeing a more relaxed, focused Lingenfelter, now building his attack against the government around issues like fairer potash royalties, rent control and theme of recent NDP advertisements that some voters aren't doing as well as the economy.
Lingenfelter was even having a modicum of success in the first week of the legislative tying the lack of potash royalties to the government's inability to provide better flood relief and crop insurance program for farmers. Again, many voters will be unimpressed. Many clearly won't see past the history here. But Lingenfelter's performance right now may be crucial to both his party and the course of Saskatchewan politics. Even slight improvement from the beleaguered NDP leader may help the NDP ward off complete annihilation in the fall election. So it will be interesting to watch if Lingenfelter does make any headway in the remaining eight months before the Nov. 7 vote.
