By Derek Cornet

Athabasca MLA ready to move forward with new NDP leader

Mar 5, 2018 | 4:00 PM

Athabasca NDP MLA Buckley Belanger believes leader-elect Ryan Meile will bring a vision of hope and promise to the province.

“We have been under an interim leader for the last couple of years,” Belanger said. “Now that the leadership race is over, the work starts, the platform building begins and the team process from the NDP perspective has to be undertaken.”

On Saturday, Meile beat fellow leadership contender Trent Wotherspoon at the polls as NDP members voted who they wanted to lead the party. With 5,973 votes to Wotherspoon’s 4,860, Meile was declared the winner and Belanger said Meile will now work to bring the party together.

During the leadership race, Belanger, Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette, and four other caucus colleagues backed Wotherspoon while Meile only had the support of one. Belanger noted, however, both contenders maintained a respectful relationship throughout the campaign process.

“The biggest thing we have to do as a party right now is stay strong, which we intend to do,” Belanger said. “Secondly, is to develop an exciting platform and I know the entire caucus and our leader-elect has indicated that he’s going to be building a strong team that includes all of us.”

award winners

SMVS collects 23 medals at PAGC Fine Arts Festival

Apr 29, 2024

events

Council awards $10,000 in community grants

Apr 29, 2024

Weekend hockey

PAGC set to host largest Senator's Cup tournament to date

Apr 26, 2024

Last week, a byelection was also held in the ridings of Kindersley, Melfort and Swift Current which were all won by Saskatchewan Party candidates. Belanger said there will be more byelections to come and he expects the NDP will win some after Meile lays out his vision for the province.

“There are two, if not three MLAs from the Saskatchewan Party who are seeking federal Conservative nominations,” he said. “You’re going to find more of the Saskatchewan Party MLAs heading out of dodge because they see the finances. Given the age of most of the Sask Party MLAs, there’s going to be a lot more exiting sooner rather than later.”

In total, 10,837 out of 13,414 NDP members cast a vote which is an 81 per cent turnout. It was also Meile’s third time running for leader of the NDP after unsuccessful attempts in 2009 and 2013. Meile was elected as the Saskatoon-Meewasin MLA in a byelection last year.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno