Carla Beck

Carla Beck MLA
Leader of the Opposition in Saskatchewan
Incumbent
Assumed office June 26, 2022
Preceded by	Ryan Meili
Leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office June 26, 2022
Preceded by	Ryan Meili
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for Regina Lakeview
Incumbent
Assumed office April 4, 2016
Preceded by	John Nilson
Personal details
Born	Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada
Political party	New Democratic Party
Spouse	Guy Marsden
Children	3
Residence	Regina, Saskatchewan
Education	University of Regina
Profession	Social worker
Portfolio	Education, Labour, Childcare, Early Learning

Carla Beck is a Canadian politician who has served as leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party since 2022.^[1] Beck was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan for the district of Regina Lakeview in the 2016 provincial election.^[2] Beck is the first elected female leader of the Saskatchewan NDP.^[1]

Beck was born in Weyburn and grew up on a mixed farm near Lang, Saskatchewan.^[3] Beck's paternal great grandparents immigrated to Saskatchewan from Iowa, and her grandfather was born in Saskatchewan in 1914.^[4] Beck attended elementary school in Lang and high school in the neighbouring community of Milestone. Beck played baseball in her youth, and in 2019 her family was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame for their extensive impact on the sport in the province.^[4]

Beck graduated with two bachelors degrees from the University of Regina: a Sociology degree in 1998 and a Social Work degree in 2004. Beck worked as a social worker in Regina for more than two decades, including working with the Regina General Hospital and as an assistant executive director at a women's shelter.^[3] Beck also worked as an active community volunteer, including through the Saskatchewan Abilities Council, the Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism, Camp Easter Seal, the Autism Resource Centre, and the MS Society.^[5] In 2007, Beck became a founding member and spokesperson for RealRenewal, a coalition of parents and community members formed in response to the Regina public school board’s "10-Year Renewal Plan", which could have led to the closure of more than a dozen inner city schools; the school board plan was ultimately abandoned in the face of community opposition before it was fully implemented.^[5][6]

Beck's initial foray into politics was with the public school board. Following her advocacy against the Regina public school board's restructuring plan, Beck was elected in 2009 as the Trustee for Subdivision 5 on the Regina public school board, a role in which Beck would ultimately serve two terms.^[5][7]

In 2015, Beck won a contested NDP nomination race for the Regina Lakeview constituency.^[8] Beck was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2016 provincial election.^[2] In the 2020 provincial election, Beck was re-elected by a wide margin with 65.5% of the vote in Regina Lakeview.^[9] Starting in 2016, Beck served as the Opposition critic for Education, Early Learning and Child Care. Beck also served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Opposition Caucus Chair and the critic for Labour. Beck also served as the Education critic during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saskatchewan.^[10]

On March 3, 2022, Beck announced her candidacy in the 2022 Saskatchewan NDP leadership election, receiving endorsements from former interim party leaders Trent Wotherspoon and Nicole Sarauer.^[11] At the party convention in Regina on June 26, 2022, Beck won the election to become the party's first elected female leader.^[1][12]

With Beck as leader, the Saskatchewan NDP won two Regina by-elections in August 2023.^[13] In Beck's first full year as leader, she identified cost-of-living concerns and healthcare as the major issues facing people in the province.^[14][15] Beck also emphasized accountability and criticized the governing Saskatchewan Party on this front, including by triggering conflict-of-interest investigations against Saskatchewan Party MLAs Jeremy Cockrill and Gary Grewal in 2024.^[16]

On August 29, 2024, Beck launched the NDP's campaign ahead of the 2024 provincial election with a focus on cost-of-living by making a pledge to not increase income, business, sales, or corporate taxes; Beck stated that the NDP would release a fully-costed budget, and emphasized that its financial plans would include cutting wasteful government spending.^[17] For instance, Beck committed to scrapping the controversial rollout of the Saskatchewan Marshals police service, which was slated to cost the province $20 million annually.^[18] The following week, and in the wake of protracted job action on the part of Saskatchewan teachers, Beck unveiled a commitment to increase education funding by $2 billion over four years.^[19] Adding commitments to pause the provincial gas tax, to launch a school nutrition program, and to target organized crime, Beck's campaign drew comparisons to the successful 2023 campaign of the Manitoba NDP.^[20]

Beck is married to Guy Marsden, and together they have three children. Beck has been an avid volunteer in community sports, including in baseball, hockey, and soccer.^[3]