Saskatchewan's Progressive Conservative (PC) Party will not cooperate with the Buffalo Party in the upcoming October provincial election after ending talks on Wednesday night.“We did not come to this decision lightly. We were hoping to come to some sort of compromise, but unfortunately, it just isn’t going to work out at this time,” PC leader Rose Buscholl told reporters on Tuesday.The two parties discussed teaming up to run candidates in all 61 ridings in the next provincial election, but they could not agree on key issues.Buscholl said the Buffalo Party focused too much on federal and international matters. The PCs want to deal with issues of provincial jurisdiction.“We have too many issues right here in Saskatchewan like the ever-growing debt, healthcare crisis, problems [of] foreign ownership of farmland and affordability that we need to focus on more,” said Buscholl.“As the party of Diefenbaker, it is said that charity starts at home, so this is where our focus needs to be.” Despite the failed merger, Buscholl said her party still aims to run candidates in all ridings and is open to continuing merger talks after the election.“We are still going to do our best to run sixty-one candidates,” said Buscholl.“Who approached who about merging the parties together or a coalition?” asked the Western Standard.“There was rumours that the Buffalo were looking at it ahead of time and then I believe we actually called them first,” replied Buscholl.Buscholl thanked the Buffalo Party for exploring the merger idea and wished them well in the upcoming election.The Buffalo Party has not commented on the failed talks.
