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Estevan's Phillip Zajac is the new leader of the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan

Zajac defeated Vanguard's Clint Arnason in leadership race
Phil Zajac Buffalo Party leader
Phil Zajac, left, receives congratulations from fellow candidate Clint Arnason after winning the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan's leadership race.

ESTEVAN — Estevan’s Phillip Zajac is the new leader of the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan.

Zajac defeated Vanguard’s Clint Arnason in the leadership race on Friday night, the party announced in a video on its Facebook page. Results of the vote were not released.

Zajac is the first elected leader of the party.

In his victory speech, Zajac thanked Vanguard for participating in the leadership race, and everyone who was involved with the leadership race. He believes the party is gaining traction, and he sees a need for the party. 

Wade Sira was named the interim leader of the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan when it was formed in July 2020, and he guided the party through the 2020 provincial election. The party garnered about 2.54 per cent of the popular vote, despite running candidates in just 17 of 61 constituencies.

They didn’t win any seats but they did finish second in four ridings, including Zajac in Estevan. He received the most votes of any Buffalo Party candidate.

Sira was removed as the interim leader in August of last year. Shirley Huber of Estevan has been the interim leader since that time.

The party held its inaugural general meeting in Estevan last November, when it ratified its constitution and announced plans for its leadership race.

The next edition of the Mercury will have more on this story.