APRIL 23, 2007

A big thank-you to Mr. Karwacki, who is Saskatchewan's finest political leader, and is and will continue to be an excellent ambassador for this province and the people who live here.

Congratulations to the other nominees tonight. We've got an excellent core developing, and the time is right for the change we are prepared to bring to this province.

My name is Nick Schenher, and I was born in 1983 in Kamsack, Saskatchewan. I have lived in all over the province, and finally moved to Regina in 2001 to pursue a University degree. While completing my Honours in Psychology in 2005, I began working for Ranch Ehrlo Society, where I am currently employed as a Youth Care Leader, caring and enhancing the lives of eight youth with severe developmental disabilities. The job, while challenging, allows me to gain a wonderfully new perspective on the simplicity of life, and how we are all individuals working towards one goal - happiness.

I have two younger brothers and one younger sister. My father, mother, and two younger siblings all reside down highway 10 in Yorkton. My oldest brother however, frustrated with the waitlists at SIAST, and the fact that there were few opportunities for him to develop a career, moved to Alberta two years ago. This is a trend for people our age, and one of the main reasons I decided join the Karwacki Liberal Team. We seem to be the only ones who are truly concerned about this exodus, and it's getting even more ridiculous.

I have a fiancée, Sandra Klassen, who completed her Education Degree last year, after watching 4 of her 5 closest friends move to Calgary without jobs, decided she could not stay here either. She moved to Seoul, South Korea in August, and will be there until this August. She will come back, but will continue to look for work within the city.

When I told my mother that I was going to seek nomination within the Liberal Party, my 17 year old brother Jordan, who was on the couch said, "Why the Liberal Party?" My mother fielded that question by saying, "Oh Jordan, he's been a Liberal since he was old enough to talk."

That statement got me to thinking, what is it about this party that has intrigued and fascinated me since I was old enough to even recognize a red letter L? Why do I believe this is the team that cannot only best represent, but understand the people of Saskatchewan?

The answer, I believe, is that we care. We truly believe that this province has not only the potential - but the current resources to be an economic gold mine, a socially conscious and caring province, a leader in environmental and green initiatives, and a place both people young and not-so-young can actually call "home."

The voices in our current legislature have grown stale. The need for representatives who will listen and seek to truly understand the concerns of the people has never been greater. Our Leader, our initiatives, and our entire team bring the hope of renewal and the sense of inclusion of all of our wonderful cultures and traditions.

I recognize that I am young, and that I have a lot to learn about the politics and policies behind effective government. However, I also recognize where my strengths and weaknesses lie, and as a result, and committed to becoming a better and more knowledgable person. I am able to listen, and have a sincere desire to know and understand what the people in Douglas-Park need. I am also able to recognize that we have a government that would prefer to politicize issues like healthcare and insurance agencies rather than putting the needs of individuals in the province ahead of their party's interests. I recognize that we have an opposition who refuse to stand up for their constituents and are simply preparing themselves prematurely for government takeover, and coasting through and sweeping under the rug the issues that should be spoken about and changed. The Liberal Party and the David Karwacki team provides a real alternative, and a real opportunity for restored hope in government - for restored faith in members of the legislature - and a restored province with a successful future. Thanks for coming tonight, and though we have a lot of work ahead of us, it will be more than worth it when the end result is a responsible government and vibrant future for this province, something only the Liberal Team can provide.