Ryan Meili, leader of the Saskatchewan NDP, wants to meet people. He attended the FSIN Winter Assembly and spoke about the challenges facing First Nations people in the province, and then toured the region in order to meet people in the Yorkton area and discuss their concerns.
Meeting with the FSIN, he knows there are big gaps in health outcomes, income, justice and education. He believes that there is a big role to play for the province, connecting the federal, provincial and First Nations governments together to bridge those gaps and work together towards shared outcomes.
“There is a model that does that in Australia that I think is quite interesting. Once a year, there is a closing the gap report that is released, that tells the story of what is going on, and then the Prime Minister gets up and gives a speech called the Closing the Gap address, that says what the facts are and what is being done. That’s a process that I would like to implement here.”
The NDP is responding to a slow down in certain industries in Saskatchewan, especially in construction. He notes that the PST that now applies to construction is making it difficult for many projects to get started, leading to a slowdown within the industry.
The party is also focused on mental health. Meili said that they hear about a shortage of professionals in the field and a lack of access wherever they go, which concerns them as they travel the province.
Meili believes there is a growing appetite for change in the province, and he wants to put forward ideas that appeal to people. He points to the NDP’s Renewing Saskatchewan plan - which works with rural areas to transition to renewal energy.
“We want to help with those upfront dollars so their bills go down right away, they pay it off as they save and eventually their bills are next to nothing, or they’re making money because they’re selling power back to the grid. We think that’s a great way to make life more affordable while at the same time make lots of jobs.”
Their goal is also to get out of Saskatoon and Regina, and he admits that the NDP has not spent enough time in rural Saskatchewan until now.
He understands how easy it is for parties to get stuck in cities like Saskatoon and Regina, but said it’s not a very effective strategy, and you’re missing out on serving the people of the province who are looking for representation. He believes that the current government has neglected the rural areas with decisions like getting rid of STC, so they want to present an alternative and respond to rural needs.
