Jamie Martens, Martensville Deputy Mayor, has been on Martensville City Council since 2012, a choice that has led her down a road she never anticipated going.
When Martens decided to run for City Council in 2012, it was her dad’s influence that guided her. “My dad always wanted to know the ins and outs of everything. He wasn’t involved in politics himself, but he always wanted to know why taxes were the way they were and was really inquisitive about those things, so I wanted to run so I could gain that knowledge and bring it forward to everyone else like him and be that conduit. I knew I wanted to see a change, but I didn’t know what kind of change I could make, so I wanted to be there for Martensville and help make the best decisions possible for our City,” Martens explained.
Martens, who was born and raised in Martensville began seeing seniors leaving due to a lack of housing options, and youth leaving due to opportunities elsewhere, so knew she needed to learn more about these issues and try to be a part of the solution. Unbeknownst to Martens at the time, that decision to run for Council almost 11 years ago would change the course of her life.
“I started joining different committees and boards and realized the more I got involved and the more knowledge that I had, the more educated and prepared I was to help make decisions that could help better this community.”
In 2019, Martens took another step by running for an open seat for Saskatchewan with The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). This decision furthered her love of politics as it introduced her to more opportunities and connections both provincially and federally.
“Being elected into that position was extremely humbling and such a blessing. I have had the opportunity to speak to senators in Ottawa and I can mention Martensville and they know where it is. It is such an amazing feeling. To be in the position that I am currently in is the most incredible feeling and I feel like I am just getting started.”
The journey doesn’t end there though. Martens is now looking to become the Sask Party candidate to run for the MLA position in the Martensville/Blairmore constituency for the 2024 election and is currently the only candidate from Martensville running for the position.
The idea of running for MLA hadn’t really been a consideration for Martens until she was approached by multiple individuals asking her if she would consider running provincially or federally. Hearing that feedback only fueled her desire to keep pursuing her goals of making positive change on a larger scale.
This year, the boundaries for constituencies within the province were re-drawn, which takes place every ten years, and because Martensville and Warman’s populations have grown so immensely, changes were made which now have Martensville/Blairmore as one constituency, and Warman, Osler, Hague and Hepburn in another.
Going into the 2024 election, current Martensville/Warman MLA Terry Jenson would become the incumbent for the Warman constituency, and the Martensville/Blairmore one would be an open seat.
Leading up to the election, there will be nomination proceedings that will determine the individuals that will represent each party. Martens hopes to be elected as the Sask Party nominee, which will be determined later this year. Currently, there are approximately five other individuals running for this position.
“I truly believe there is important work to be done in all of Saskatchewan and I want to take my vision of this province forward, which is getting back to the basics and working together as a whole. I think sometimes that gets lost. When I step back and I think about municipal government, it is always in the best interest of the area, and I think that is what Saskatchewan needs; to gain a little bit of that heart and soul that has been slightly lost along the way.”
In order to have a say who will represent your area in the election, residents within the riding will need to purchase a $10 membership for the year, which will give them the opportunity to vote for the candidate they see best suited for the position. Anyone 14 years and older is able to purchase a membership and vote for their preferred candidate. Memberships can be purchased by visiting https://www.saskparty.com/become_a_member, with youth memberships available for anyone between the ages of 14 and 25.
