So Much More We Can Be: Saskatchewan’s Paradigm Shift and the Final Chapter on the Devine Government 1982-1991

Written by: Edward Willett, Gerard A. Lucyshyn, Joseph Ralko

The 1982 Saskatchewan general election proved to be a fundamental turning point in the province’s history. The goal of any government leading Saskatchewan into the future was a common one, specifically the diversification of the Saskatchewan economy. However, the battle that would be fought would not be over direction but rather over how best to achieve the goal. When Devine and the Progressive Conservatives came to power in 1982, it disrupted the historical status quo of heavy government involvement and ownership in the lives of the Saskatchewan people. Over their nine years in office, the Grant Devine government commenced and completed numerous programs and projects. While some projects did not come to fruition until many years later, many of them fundamentally shifted and created long-lasting positive effects on Saskatchewan’s revenues, employment, and economy well-being. The final chapter examines the economic data and sets the historical record straight about the lasting legacy of the Grant Devine government and a turning point in Saskatchewan history.