Why do we live here?

On Tuesday, with new host Leisha Grebinski on the mic, Blue Sky on CBC Radio One in Saskatchewan introduced a new approach to their show where the listeners help pose the question and topic the show wants to explore.

Through this approach, we hope to place more of the show's focus on you, the listener.

The inaugural question may have been broad, but it brought plenty of positive and negative feedback from our audience by phone, voicemail and email.

The questions was one we all mutter under our breath when temperatures plummet to -40 C:

Why do we live here? 

When producer Nichole Huck posed the question on social media, she received a variety of responses.

Some came here for academia, some love the sky, some are here because this is where family is or they've found it more affordable to buy a home.

"It's my homeland, where my ancestors resided," Brandy wrote. "It's blood memory. I have tried to leave a few times but I always came back. I crave the silent cold dark winters, the smell of the brisk cool air. The summer watering holes and the skies. I'm a Prairie girl. It's in our blood."

"It's like being at a party where everybody knows it becomes what you make of it," Sarah, who just moved here from Sweden, wrote. "No, it's like being in the kitchen at that party."

"Prairie culture (not too distant connection to land/canning/gardening/farming/resourcefulness, we are able to face the elements- nature/weather know how), the population density, The Southern grasslands, The Northern Shield Hinterlands, canoeing, wilderness, the sunshine, the winter, Saskatoon berries, the thunderstorms, the aurora, the humility and self-deprecation," Jenn wrote.

An informed decision

Raul Ortega is originally from Mexico. After thoughtful consideration, he and his family chose Saskatchewan as the place to make their life in Canada. This decision was intentional for Raul and his wife Ilanna. In fact, when the couple decided they wanted to leave Mexico and start a new life in Canada, they created an elaborate Excel spreadsheet, plugging in all sorts of information. When the results were tallied, Saskatchewan topped the list.

Their document took a year to complete and looked at 15 Canadian cities, comparing such things as cost of living, job opportunities, safety, crime rates and grocery costs. Thunder Bay, for example, had food costs twice as high as Regina — the city they finally crowned the winner.

According to Raul, a large part of the decision hinged on ensuring the best life possible for their 10-year-old daughter, Sofia. Since arriving three years ago, they've found the community generous and welcoming, so welcoming that his sister made the decision to move to Moose Jaw.

Love conquers all

We heard a lot of people talk about why they choose to live in Saskatchewan. But we also heard from people who say politics has made them question where they belong in this province. That has been especially true for some members of the queer community.

Rising Saskatoon drag star Karma K was born and raised in Saskatchewan. When her family all moved away, she decided to stay. Her motivation was the opportunity to help build a more inclusive, safe place for young members of the LGBTQ community.

Following her highly publicized performance at a Saskatoon Rush game earlier in 2023, she noticed a positive outcome. However, she also noticed some of the negativity around it had increased.

Karma K said she had thought she would grow up and move away from Saskatchewan. After visiting more than a dozen rural locations across the province on her annual drag family tours, she realized that there's a lot of passionate people who love being here. To her, these moments showcased how much love is truly here.

Have a question you'd like answered?

Simple, just visit the show's website and fill in the form!

With files from Nichole Huck and Blue Sky