The Cypress-Grasslands Federal NDP Riding Association held their annual general meeting yesterday for the second straight year in Swift Current.

The keynote speaker for the event was Regina Lakeview MLA Carla Beck.

She talked about why it's important for her and other politicians to come to these meetings.

"For me, it's getting out and listening to the people at these meetings," Beck said. "I think it's important that we get out and talk to people. It's impossible to represent people if you don't know where they are coming from - if you don't know what their lives are, what their hopes and fears are. I think getting out and talking to people and hearing from them is the basis of democracy."

Beck talked about a variety of issues, but the theme of her speech was Politics after Trump.

She said that though the topic of Politics after Trump may seem a bit removed from where we are, it applies to not only Canada but Saskatchewan as well.

"The political forces that we saw in the US exist in Canada as well," she said. "People are frustrated, people are being left behind by the economy and are feeling stretched and squeezed and wondering how they are going to pay the bills, and that is as much here as it is in the US. I think that some of the political forces that led to the rise of Trump are happening in Canada. We need to be curious about them here and have a response. I'd rather meet that kind of fear and anger with a plan, in an economy that works for people."

Beck also talked about what issues she feels will be the most important leading up to the next election.

"I think that people want to see a long-term plan for the province, for the economy, they want to see a long-term plan environmentally," Beck said. "I think people have been very clear that people want to not only maintain but strengthen our Crown corporations and the services they provide. Health care, of course, is always a big issue. Having a credible plan for energy going forward in this province is hugely important, and it's not enough just to stomp your feet and say no, you have to have a plan and I think those will be significant issues in the next election."

Beck added that with the Saskatchewan Party's popularity not as high as it once was, she feels they have a better greater opportunity for the NDP in Saskatchewan.

"I do sense that is more of an opportunity for us to go out and talk to many communities around the province that perhaps wasn't there for us. We saw such an outcry around the potential library closers, such outcry around the cuts to education. We've been around the province, talking to communities this summer we've been out to all 61 constituencies around the province and have been welcomed with the education petition, with the Crown petition in a way that we haven't seen for a long time."