Dear Editor
The Saskatchewan New Democrats launched their leadership race at the beginning of the month. Last week, Ryan Meili announced his intention to seek leadership for the third time. Given the current popularity free-fall being suffered by the Wall government, there is a good chance that whoever wins the election slated for May 6, 2018 will go on to become Saskatchewan’s next premier.
It is crucial to acknowledge that with this leadership race, New Democrats have an opportunity to make history in this province by electing their first woman leader, and potentially the first woman premier of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan needs to do better in terms of electing women. We are one of only four provinces that have yet to elect a woman premier, and while our current 26 per cent female representation, with 16 members, is a historic high, it still places us in seventh compared to the other provinces and territories. Women make up half the province’s population, and deserve to make up a similar amount of our elected representatives.
It is important to elect women – not just because we make up half of voters, but also because, as legislators, they tend to bring a different skill set to the decision-making table. Women leaders tend to be more collaborative and willing to work across party lines, and also tend to bring legislation and ideas to the table that benefit women, children and reduce poverty – exemplified by the work done by Nicole Saurauer on domestic violence legislation, later taken up by the Sask. Party.
I’ve been involved in the New Democratic Party since its last leadership race, and in that time I’ve met countless thoughtful, intelligent, and caring progressive women from all over the province. I think a good number of those women would excel as the next leader of my party, and the next premier of our province. If the New Democratic Party wants to be a party of progress, and of equality, we should work hard to make history by electing the first woman leader of our party in 2018.
Rylee Schuhmacher
NDP Provincial Executive
North Battleford
