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McPhail is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and served on La Ronge town council since 2016. (submitted photo/Jordan McPhail)
politics

McPhail acclaimed next Cumberland NDP candidate in 2024 provincial election

Jul 10, 2023 | 3:13 PM

Jordan McPhail is looking forward to building on the work of the Saskatchewan NDP as their next candidate in the Cumberland constituency.

“Just after talking with my family and hearing Doyle was stepping away from the provincial seat coming up in 2024, I thought it was a good time,” he said.

“I talked to some of the members and felt it was a good time to put my name forward for the provincial ticket. I’ve always looked at the membership and the great people in our province to let me know where I can best suit them, and they have given me the opportunity to serve here on Saturday.”

McPhail was acclaimed as the next NDP candidate on July 8 after nobody else came forward to contest it. He could be replacing current NDP MLA Doyle Vermette if successful in the next provincial election scheduled in October 2024.

Vermette announced in May he would be stepping aside and would not be seeking re-election. He first took provincial office in 2008 following a byelection in Cumberland after Joan Beatty resigned. Vermette was re-elected multiple times to that seat, most recently in 2020, winning just over 65 per cent of the vote.

“I always say I had to stand on the shoulders of giants to be able to reach where I have been able to and, having a mentor like Doyle, and seeing the tough conversations he has had to have in the constituency as his campaign manager reaching out to people directly through the voter contact organizer role I had in the 2016 campaign,” McPhail said.

“I know Doyle puts people first. He works really hard to keep and earn the support of the voters here in Cumberland and I know I have a lot of work ahead of me to fill those shoes of Doyle and I am looking forward to doing that work.”

McPhail is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and he has been a La Ronge councillor since 2016. McPhail has been involved with the Saskatchewan NDP for close to 11 years and he’s served with both the provincial and local executives.

“The thing I always loved about the NDP is they are a party that puts people first,” he said.

“They make sure we take the priorities of northern people and northern Saskatchewan and bring that to the Legislature in Regina. We’ve seen that with Doyle, we seen that with the leaders of our party and the leaders of the Cumberland constituency for as long as I can remember.”

McPhail is the thirteenth candidate nominated for the Saskatchewan NDP for the 2024 provincial election. The next nomination will be in Moose Jaw Wakamow on July 15.

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno