The provincial NDP leadership race will take a brief breather during the Christmas holidays before ramping up again in the new year.
But it should be back to full steam ahead in 2013 as the four candidates for the party's top position - Ryan Meili, Erin Weir, Cam Broten and Trent Wotherspoon - resume their participation at all-candidates forums and continue efforts to travel the province in search of supporters for the March 9 leadership vote.
The Battlefords has seen no shortage of candidates lately, with Wotherspoon returning to the area Wednesday, Dec. 19 for more individual meetings with potential supporters and civic and First Nations leaders. He also had an event at the Venice House before heading to Saskatoon in the afternoon.
In speaking with the News-Optimist Wotherspoon said it was all part of his campaign to renew the party.
"Right now it's about coming out and listening to some of the ideas and concerns and challenges and opportunities of our members," said Wotherspoon, "but also for me to share my vision and plan for sharing our plan for renewing our province and building and renewing our party."
He also looks forward to being in the Battlefords on Jan. 24 for the all-candidates forum at Western Development Museum, which is being held just one day before the cut-off for new members to join the NDP on Jan. 25. Wotherspoon says he's put in 2400 km of travel across the highways of the province in his campaign and says the reaction he's received bodes well for the future.
"It's encouraging to see the energy within our party and within communities as well as the public as it relates to the renewal of our party," said Wotherspoon. He also points to the enthusiasm and attendance at the leadership forums as positive.
The next couple of months should also allow all candidates and party members to be able to focus on the leadership race with the legislature in recess until March 5. When the legislature resumes, interim NDP leader John Nilson expects to serve as leader for just a few days until the new NDP leader is elected.
In a conference call with reporters after the fall session recessed in December, interim opposition leader John Nilson is looking forward to the conclusion of the leadership contest.
"We'll be going forward with the new leader and continue on our task of listening to all the people of Saskatchewan as we bring forward common sense solutions to the concerns that middle-class people in Saskatchewan have," said Nilson.
