# 1986 Saskatchewan general election

The 1986 Saskatchewan general election, the twenty-first in the history of the province, was held on October 20, 1986, to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.

## Summary

The Progressive Conservative government of Premier Grant Devine was returned for a second term with a reduced majority in the legislature.
While the New Democratic Party managed to significantly increase its share of the popular vote and its presence in the legislature, former Premier Allan Blakeney's attempt to return to power was unsuccessful. Despite winning more votes than the Tories, much of the NDP margin was seen in landslides in the major urban centres of Regina and Saskatoon—while the party won eight seats in each of those cities, the NDP won only nine seats throughout the rest of the province. As a result, they were consigned to Official Opposition status for another term.
The Liberal Party captured almost 10% of the popular vote, but elected only one member—party leader Ralph Goodale—to the legislature.

## Opinion polls

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level :
| Polling firm | Last day of survey | PC | NDP | LIB | Other | Undecided | ME | Sample |
| Election 1986 | October 20, 1986 | 44.60 | 45.20 | 9.99 | 0.21 | | | 547,930 |
| Angus Reid | October 6, 1986 | 48 | 42 | 8 | — | — | 3.9 | 806 |
| CBC | October 2, 1986 | 50 | 41 | 9 | — | — | 2.9 | 1,400 |
| NDP | January 1986 | 41 | 51 | 8 | — | — | 5 | 1,024 |
| Institute for Social Economic Research | February 3, 1986 | 42.9 | 46.7 | 9.3 | — | — | 4−5 | 567 |
| Angus Reid | October 26, 1985 | 34 | 58 | 8 | — | 18 | 5 | 415 |
| Institute for Social Economic Research | October 3, 1985 | 43.8 | 46.3 | 9.3 | — | 24 | — | — |
| Election 1982 | April 26, 1982 | 54.07 | 37.64 | 4.51 | 3.78 | | | 535,085 |

## Results

| Party | Party | Party leader | Candidates | Seats | Seats | Seats | Seats | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Party leader | Candidates | 1982 | Dissol. | Elected | % Change | # | % | % Change |
| | Progressive Conservative | Grant Devine | 64 | 55 | 54 | 38 | -29.6% | 244,382 | 44.60% | -9.45% |
| | New Democratic | Allan Blakeney | 64 | 9 | 8 | 25 | +212.5% | 247,683 | 45.20% | +7.56% |
| | Liberal | Ralph Goodale | 64 | – | – | 1 | n/a | 54,739 | 9.99% | +5.48% |
| | Western Canada Concept | Hilton J. Spencer (default) | 9 | – | 2 | – | -100% | 458 | 0.08% | -3.18% |
| | Independent | Independent | 3 | – | – | – | – | 358 | 0.07% | -0.23% |
| | Alliance | | 6 | * | * | – | * | 237 | 0.04% | * |
| | Communist | | 1 | * | * | – | * | 73 | 0.01% | * |
| Total | Total | Total | 211 | 64 | 64 | 64 | – | 547,930 | 100% | |
| Source: Elections Saskatchewan |||||||||||
Note: * Party did not nominate candidates in previous election.

### Percentages

Popular vote
New Democratic
45.20%
PC
44.60%
Liberal
9.99%
Others
0.20% :
Seats summary
PC
59.38%
New Democratic
39.06%
Liberal
1.56% :

### Ranking

| Party | Seats | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth |
| Progressive Conservative | 38 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| New Democratic | 25 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Liberal | 1 | 2 | 61 | 0 | 0 |
| Western Canada Concept | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |

## Riding results

Names in bold represent cabinet ministers and the Speaker. Party leaders are italicized. The symbol " ** " indicates MLAs who did not run again.

### Northwest Saskatchewan

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Athabasca | | Pat Cardinal 457 (10.70%) | Frederick John Thompson 2,357 (55.20%) | Jim Durocher 1,456 (34.10%) | | Frederick John Thompson |
| Cut Knife-Lloydminster | | Michael Hopfner 4,526 (52.32%) | Bob Long 3,677 (42.50%) | Virginia Fox 448 (5.18%) | | Michael Alfred Hopfner |
| Meadow Lake | | George McLeod 3,711 (59.42%) | Bill Krasicki 2,183 (34.96%) | Henry E. Coupland 351 (5.62%) | | George Malcolm McLeod |
| Redberry | | John Gerich 3,591 (53.91%) | Dennis Banda 2,791 (41.90%) | Aurele Lalonde 279 (4.19%) | | John Gerich |
| Rosthern | | William Neudorf 5,700 (57.01%) | Edgar Epp 3,348 (33.49%) | Allan G. Turberfield 950 (9.50%) | | Ralph Katzman** |
| The Battlefords | | Myles Morin 4,851 (47.11%) | Doug Anguish 4,908 (47.66%) | Ken McCaffrey 539 (5.23%) | | Myles L. Morin |
| Turtleford | | Colin Maxwell 3,403 (50.13%) | Chris Sorenson 2,968 (43.73%) | Lucien Briere 417 (6.14%) | | Colin Maxwell |

### Northeast Saskatchewan

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Cumberland | | Larry Wolkosky 1,416 (27.11%) | Keith Goulet 3,173 (60.74%) | Robin W. Turner 436 (8.34%) | Gordon "Popeye" Carle (Ind.) 199 (3.81%) | | Lawrence Riel Yew** |
| Kelsey-Tisdale | | Neal Hardy 4,448 (54.19%) | Mike Martyn 3,452 (42.05%) | Bill Soloway 309 (3.76%) | | | Neal Herbert Hardy |
| Kinistino | | Josef Saxinger 3,900 (49.11%) | Don Cody 3,748 (47.20%) | Ray L Manègre 293 (3.69%) | | | Bernard Boutin** |
| Melfort | | Grant Hodgins 4,433 (56.14%) | Keith Davis 2,963 (37.53%) | Jerry Derkatz 500 (6.33%) | | | Grant Hodgins |
| Nipawin | | Lloyd Sauder 4,312 (55.98%) | Gilda Treleaven 2,975 (38.62%) | Ron J. Wassill 416 (5.40%) | | | Lloyd David Sauder |
| Prince Albert | | John Meagher 4,039 (37.17%) | Myron Kowalsky 6,059 (55.76%) | Rupert Baudais 768 (7.07%) | | | John Paul Meagher |
| Prince Albert-Duck Lake | | Sid Dutchak 3,915 (43.55%) | Eldon Lautermilch 4,448 (49.48%) | Marg Tornquist 627 (6.97%) | | | Sid Dutchak |
| Shellbrook-Torch River | | Lloyd Muller 4,145 (48.96%) | George Bowerman 3,941 (46.55%) | Ed Olchowy 380 (4.49%) | | | Lloyd John Muller |

### West Central Saskatchewan

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Arm River | | Gerald Muirhead 4,828 (57.67%) | Bob Robertson 2,948 (35.21%) | Kim Gleim 535 (6.39%) | Hilton J. Spencer (WCC) 61 (0.73%) | | Gerald Muirhead |
| Biggar | | Harry Baker 3,882 (50.26%) | Pat Trask 3,449 (44.65%) | Sharon Hamilton 393 (5.09%) | | | Harry Daniel Baker |
| Humboldt | | Louis Domotor 3,693 (42.30%) | Eric Upshall 3,914 (44.83%) | Larry Benning 1,124 (12.87%) | | | Louis Albert Domotor |
| Kindersley | | Robert Andrew 4,882 (65.66%) | Wayne Welte 1,993 (26.81%) | Phillip Johnson 560 (7.53%) | | | Robert Lynal Andrew |
| Rosetown-Elrose | | Herbert Swan 4,276 (58.44%) | George Tweedle 2,530 (34.58%) | James D. McCullough 414 (5.66%) | Danny Brown (Ind.) 97 (1.32%) | | Herbert Junior Swan |
| Wilkie | | John Britton 3,457 (48.35%) | Ted Zoller 2,151 (30.09%) | Nick Volk 1,541 (21.56%) | | | James William Arthur Garner** |

### East Central Saskatchewan

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Canora | | Lorne Kopelchuk 4,273 (54.65%) | Linda Kezima 3,271 (41.83%) | Carole Merriman 275 (3.52%) | | | Lloyd Hampton** |
| Kelvington-Wadena | | Sherwin Petersen 4,129 (50.97%) | Ken Folstad 3,565 (44.01%) | Orvall Enge 407 (5.02%) | | | Sherwin Petersen |
| Last Mountain-Touchwood | | Arnold Tusa 4,032 (47.69%) | Gordon MacMurchy 3,943 (46.63%) | Charles Schuler 480 (5.68%) | | | Arnold Tusa |
| Melville | | Grant Schmidt 4,575 (53.46%) | Matt Stecyk 3,302 (38.59%) | Mona Kines 643 (7.51%) | Arthur J. Pelzer (Alliance) 38 (0.44%) | | Grant Schmidt |
| Pelly | | Rod Gardner 3,280 (49.47%) | Norm Lusney 3,113 (46.95%) | A. Ben Ferrie 237 (3.58%) | | | Norm Lusney |
| Quill Lakes | | Mervin Sigstad 3,405 (42.90%) | Murray Koskie 4,031 (50.78%) | Pat Morrison 502 (6.32%) | | | Murray Koskie |
| Saltcoats | | Walt Johnson 3,612 (47.47%) | Reg Knezacek 3,549 (46.64%) | Leslie Popp 448 (5.89%) | | | Walter Robert Johnson |
| Yorkton | | Lorne McLaren 4,408 (47.08%) | Gordon Roberts 4,189 (44.74%) | Susan Holmberg 664 (7.09%) | Ernest R. Lee (Alliance) 102 (1.09%) | | Lorne A. McLaren |

### Southwest Saskatchewan

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Western Canada Concept | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Assiniboia-Gravelbourg | | Bill Fancourt 2,273 (28.72%) | Allen Engel 2,395 (30.26%) | Ralph Goodale 3,246 (41.02%) | | | | Allen Engel |
| Maple Creek | | Joan Duncan 4,199 (60.87%) | Barry Elderkin 2,185 (31.68%) | Harold Pawlitza 514 (7.45%) | | | | Joan Duncan |
| Moose Jaw North | | Keith Parker 4,273 (40.06%) | Glenn Hagel 5,370 (50.35%) | Tim Crosbie 970 (9.09%) | Nick Dowhy, Jr. 33 (0.31%) | Clifford H. Hume (Alliance) 20 (0.19%) | | Keith Edward Parker |
| Moose Jaw South | | Arthur "Bud" Smith 2,823 (33.27%) | Lorne Calvert 4,959 (58.45%) | Irene McKenzie 653 (7.70%) | Phoebe Dowhy 49 (0.58%) | | | Arthur "Bud" Smith |
| Morse | | Art Martens 3,694 (56.12%) | Reg Gross 2,209 (33.56%) | Al Harder 605 (9.19%) | Burton Rempel 74 (1.13%) | | | Harold Martens |
| Shaunavon | | Ted Gleim 3,311 (47.70%) | Dwain Lingenfelter 2,968 (42.76%) | Jules Larochelle 662 (9.54%) | | | | Dwain Lingenfelter |
| Swift Current | | Patricia Anne Smith 4,444 (50.71%) | John Penner 3,785 (43.19%) | Archie Green 486 (5.54%) | Orland McInnes 49 (0.56%) | | | Patricia Anne Smith |
| Thunder Creek | | Richard Swenson 3,773 (53.52%) | Betty Payne 1,864 (26.44%) | William Johnstone 1,375 (19.50%) | Robert Gleim 38 (0.54%) | | | Richard Swenson |
December 15, 1988 By-election: Assiniboia-Gravelbourg :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Prog. Conservative | John Thomas Wolfe | 3,164 | 44.31 | +15.59 |
| | NDP | Allen Engel | 3,009 | 42.14 | +11.88 |
| | Liberal | Daryl Beatty | 966 | 13.53 | -27.48 |
| Total | Total | Total | 7,139 | 100.00 | |

### Southeast Saskatchewan

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Western Canada Concept | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Bengough-Milestone | | Bob Pickering 3,740 (54.50%) | Jim Liggett 2,406 (35.06%) | Brent Knudsen 716 (10.44%) | | | Robert Hugh Pickering |
| Estevan | | Grant Devine 6,037 (63.43%) | Dan Tangjerd 2,766 (29.06%) | Leonard Ludwig 655 (6.88%) | Randy Shaver 60 (0.63%) | | Grant Devine |
| Indian Head-Wolseley | | Doug Taylor 3,976 (57.82%) | Joe Zaba 1,794 (26.09%) | Donald E. Gabel 1,106 (16.09%) | | | Douglas Graham Taylor |
| Moosomin | | Don Toth 4,622 (60.22%) | William Sauter 2,429 (31.65%) | Myles Fuchs 624 (8.13%) | | | Larry Birkbeck** |
| Qu’Appelle-Lumsden | | John Gary Lane 4,490 (47.55%) | Suzanne Murray 3,763 (39.86%) | Linda Boxall 1,150 (12.18%) | Joey Gargol 39 (0.41%) | | John Gary Lane |
| Souris-Cannington | | Eric Berntson 4,642 (67.70%) | Charlotte Rasmussen 1,529 (22.30%) | William H. Ireland 686 (10.00%) | | | Eric Berntson |
| Weyburn | | Lorne Hepworth 4,596 (52.65%) | Harry-Jae Elder 3,220 (36.88%) | Bill Rudachyk 859 (9.84%) | Edwin W. Appenheimer 55 (0.63%) | | Lorne Henry Hepworth |

### Saskatoon

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saskatoon Centre | | Jack Sandberg 2,755 (35.55%) | Anne deBlois Smart 3,854 (49.74%) | Audrey Brent 1,119 (14.44%) | Norm Baker (Alliance) 21 (0.27%) | | Jack Sven Sandberg |
| Saskatoon Eastview | | Pierre Martineau 6,356 (43.08%) | Dixie Campbell-Tymchatyn 5,745 (38.94%) | Vic Karwacki 2,653 (17.98%) | | | Kimberly Young** |
| Saskatoon Fairview | | Ross G. McQuarrie 3,368 (31.15%) | Bob Mitchell 6,539 (60.47%) | Al Cebryk 906 (8.38%) | | | Duane Weiman** |
| Saskatoon Mayfair | | Ray Meiklejohn 7,725 (45.53%) | Gord Gunoff 7,431 (43.80%) | Denis I. Quon 1,748 (10.30%) | Robert Bonsor (Ind.) 62 (0.37%) | | Cal Glauser** |
| Saskatoon Nutana | | Mervyn Houghton 2,439 (30.77%) | Pat Atkinson 4,719 (59.52%) | Eugene V.J. Pulak 770 (9.71%) | | | Evelyn Bacon** |
| Saskatoon Riversdale | | Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk 2,114 (26.39%) | Roy Romanow 5,490 (68.52%) | Bernadine Droesse 408 (5.09%) | | | Jo-Ann Zazelenchuk |
| Saskatoon South | | Bob Myers 3,311 (40.09%) | Herman Rolfes 3,735 (45.23%) | Bernie Yuzdepski 1,212 (14.68%) | | | Robert Edward William Myers |
| Saskatoon Sutherland | | Paul Schoenhals 4,520 (40.98%) | Mark Koenker 5,210 (47.23%) | George Rathgeber 1,300 (11.79%) | | | Paul John Schoenhals |
| Saskatoon University | | Rick Folk 2,744 (35.81%) | Peter Prebble 3,400 (44.38%) | Robert G. Crowe 1,518 (19.81%) | | | Rick Folk |
| Saskatoon Westmount | | Gay Caswell 1,990 (27.06%) | John Edward Brockelbank 4,770 (64.87%) | Bill Purdy 593 (8.07%) | | | Gay Caswell |
May 4, 1988 By-election: Saskatoon Eastview :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | NDP | Bob Pringle | 6,685 | 53.53 | +14.59 |
| | Prog. Conservative | Toni Davidson | 3,330 | 26.67 | -16.41 |
| | Liberal | Pat Beck | 2,473 | 19.80 | +1.82 |
| Total | Total | Total | 12,488 | 100.00 | |

### Regina

| Electoral District | Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | Electoral District | Progressive Conservative | New Democratic | Liberal | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Regina Centre | | Roy Wellman 2,088 (26.59%) | Ned Shillington 4,737 (60.34%) | Ed Nordhagen 953 (12.14%) | Kimball Cariou (Communist) 73 (0.93%) | | Edward Shillington |
| Regina Elphinstone | | Al Empringham 1,678 (22.50%) | Allan Blakeney 5,288 (70.90%) | Don McGregor 492 (6.60%) | | | Allan Blakeney |
| Regina Lakeview | | Tim Embury 2,989 (33.93%) | Louise Simard 4,185 (47.52%) | June L. Blau 1,634 (18.55%) | | | Tim Embury |
| Regina North | | Ken Skilnick 3,109 (30.38%) | Kim Trew 6,008 (58.72%) | Tom Townsend 1,098 (10.73%) | Ian Bruce Clarke (Alliance) 17 (0.17%) | | Jack Klein |
| Regina North East | | Noel Klock 2,962 (27.70%) | Edwin Tchorzewski 6,845 (64.03%) | Paul Thériault 884 (8.27%) | | | Edwin Tchorzewski |
| Regina North West | | Alvin Law 4,517 (33.02%) | John Solomon 7,970 (58.27%) | John MacGowan 1,152 (8.42%) | Bill Sveinson (Alliance) 39 (0.29%) | | Bill Sveinson |
| Regina Rosemont | | Gordon Dirks 3,828 (36.82%) | Robert Lyons 5,805 (55.84%) | Christine Crowther 763 (7.34%) | | | Gordon Dirks |
| Regina South | | Jack Klein 4,115 (44.98%) | Margaret Fern 3,462 (37.84%) | Kevin Moore 1,572 (17.18%) | | | Paul Rousseau** |
| Regina Victoria | | Metro Rybchuk 2,128 (26.35%) | Harry Van Mulligen 4,782 (59.23%) | Alvey Halbgewachs 1,164 (14.42%) | | | Metro Rybchuk |
| Regina Wascana | | Gordon Martin 5,176 (41.75%) | Bob Goos 5,121 (41.30%) | Cam McCannell 2,101 (16.95%) | | | Gord Currie** |
May 4, 1988 By-election: Regina Elphinstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | NDP | Dwain Lingenfelter | 4,309 | 77.33 | +6.43 |
| | Prog. Conservative | Myrna Petersen | 694 | 12.46 | -10.04 |
| | Liberal | Ron Eistetter | 569 | 10.21 | +3.61 |
| Total | Total | Total | 5,572 | 100.00 | |