The leadership race for the provincial New Democrats is now underway and candidates have already started hitting the Battlefords in search of support.
Four leadership hopefuls have officially announced their candidacies: Saskatoon MLA Cam Broten, former 2009 leadership runner-up Ryan Meili, economist Erin Weir and Regina MLA Trent Wotherspoon.
Wotherspoon was in North Battleford Sept. 19 as his leadership campaign tour took him through the city. The activities included some organized coffee events, but also impromptu meetings with business owners and local people, including party members.
He travelled to Lloydminster in the afternoon for similar campaign activities before returning to North Battleford that evening to attend the NDP's labour consultations being conducted by Saskatoon MLA David Forbes. That province-wide tour has focused on the impact of the provincial government's workers legislation overhaul.
Stopping by the News-Optimist offices, Wotherspoon said the leadership race was an opportunity for the party to renew itself.
"We have a tremendous opportunity as a party to redefine who we are in the hearts, guts and minds of Saskatchewan people," said Wotherspoon.
"That's going to be done in a sincere and earnest way and it's going to be done through time, and it's about listening and then reflecting that into our policy and into our actions."
He plans an inclusive campaign that will reach out to young and old, to First Nations, to new Canadians and the various diverse segments of the population. His campaign slogan is "Forward Together," a slogan Wotherspoon says applies not only to the party but to the province as well.
"We need to build and renew with purpose for today and tomorrow, and do that in a unifying way," Wotherspoon said.
Wotherspoon launched his campaign the previous Friday in Regina, and already a number of supporters have come on board his campaign.
"We were overwhelmed with the outpouring of support," he said.
"Since then, we've hit the ground running and are out there connecting and listening to Saskatchewan people," said Wotherspoon.
He attended the party's youth convention near Blaine Lake and was in Fort Qu'Appelle, Canora, Yorkton and Humboldt during the campaign's first few days. When he spoke to the News-Optimist, Wotherspoon had plans to take his campaign to Prince Albert later in the week.
Wotherspoon plans to do significant outreach and connecting with party members over the next few months, and will be pointing to his experience as an MLA and his roles as finance critic and education critic in the legislature in his leadership bid.
"This is going to be a rigorous exercise but I look forward to it," said Wotherspoon. "There is nothing I enjoy more than sitting down with members of our party and the public, listening to the stories of our communities all across Saskatchewan."
Local NDP supporters can expect to see all of the candidates in the Battlefords by the time the campaign is over. North Battleford is one of 14 venues across the province that will be holding an NDP all-candidates forum. That forum is likely to take place sometime in the new year.
The leadership vote is to take place on March 9 in Saskatoon, with NDP party members from across the province able to cast votes for a new leader.
