After more than three decades in public office, Wilf Boychuk is enjoying retirement.
The Reminder caught up with the former Creighton mayor and alderman while he was enjoying an autumn day at his cabin in Clemenceau, Saskatchewan, a serene hamlet south of Hudson Bay.
Boychuk remains one of the most recognizable faces in the history of Creighton politics. He served 33 years on council, first as an alderman from 1970 to 1994 and as mayor from 1994 to 2003.
After leaving office, he moved south to Sturgis, Saskatchewan, near Yorkton and once again joined public life on council for an additional five years.
“Then I chose retirement instead,” Boychuk says with a laugh.
Boychuk can’t pick any one highlight from his political career in Creighton, but he says he is proud of the group he worked with and the plan they put in place for the future of the community.
“We had a long-range plan that they are now able to put in place, and I think we managed it pretty well,” he says, adding that he continues to be in touch with officials in Creighton.
Working within provincial guidelines and overcoming obstacles were a constant focus.
“There are always challenges that come with that kind of role,” Boychuk says. “There are always walls you have to climb over.”
However, having a strong rapport with other levels of government, administration and citizens was key.
“We were quite fortunate to have good relationships,” Boychuk says. “We listened to the general citizens and the administration.”
While the team of elected officials worked well together, he says there was always room for debate.
“We had a good council and everyone understood how things should go,” says Boychuk. “We’d have some discussions and then move forward.”
Boychuk also praises the municipal staff for their hard work and efforts during his lengthy tenure.
“The administration there was excellent,” he recalls. “The people were in tune with what was happening in their community and they did their
job well.”
In his nine years as mayor, Boychuk believes he “only had one irate citizen who came to speak to me,” although he chuckles as he adds there could have been others who were upset and didn’t come forward.
In addition to his time on council, Boychuk was also on several provincial committees, such as the Northern Development Board, Northern Municipal Association and Department of Highways and Transportation, to name a few.
After moving south to Sturgis, he says he was “talked into” running for council again.
In his time in office, Boychuk says he learned to appreciate the structure and forward thinking that was part of Creighton.
A retiree of HBM&S, now Hudbay, Boychuk is enjoying the freedom of his post-working days.
“If you’re sincere and committed, [politics] is a lot of work,” he says. “It just got to be a lot and I was ready to move on and retire. Now I do what I want, when I want.”
Boychuk splits his time between his home in Saskatoon and his cabin at Clemenceau, where he spends time hunting and enjoying the outdoors.
The peace, quiet and tranquility represent a contrast to the hectic schedule he once had.
However, he learned some valuable lessons while in public office, lessons that he says translate to all parts of his life.
“The number one thing is to speak little and listen lots,” Boychuk says.
