The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party (NDP) seemingly opted to forge a different path at its recent leadership convention.
The NDP voted Ryan Meili, who has been an MLA for a little more than a year, as its new leader. In a two-candidate race, Meili defeated Trent Wotherspoon, a veteran MLA who had the support of much of the party establishment, and served as the interim party leader following the NDP’s most recent lopsided defeat at the hands of the Saskatchewan Party.
Wotherspoon was viewed as more of a status quo candidate, while Meili was regarded as a candidate more likely to bring a different approach.
Wotherspoon had the support of the bulk of the NDP caucus, as well as, seemingly, the majority of the party establishment and its most high-profile supporters. A lot of people expected him to win.
But Meili had the support of the party’s rank-and-file, and it would be a fair assumption to expect he attracted a lot of people who haven’t had political memberships in the past.
Nobody has ever questioned Meili’s intelligence, his commitment to his beliefs or his ability to engage the public. It would have been fascinating to watch him go head-to-head in a debate with former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall of the Saskatchewan Party.
Meili coherently and passionately articulates his beliefs on the value of healthcare, and many expect he’ll draw support from those who maybe haven’t voted in the past, including young people.
His first challenge will be getting caucus members and the party’s establishment on his side. It’s the same challenge that faces any new leader who wins a fairly tight leadership battle.
Win over the people who didn’t back you, while placing your stamp of identity on the party.
His greater challenge, though, will be fighting the perception that he might be too left wing in his views to eventually become premier.
Success in Canadian politics traditionally requires a reputation as a moderate. Start from the centre, and work your way to the left if you’re a socialist, or work your way to the right if you’re conservative.
Voters might perceive the governing Saskatchewan Party as right-wing, but there would be few who would describe them as staunchly conservative.
The Sask. Party has succeeded in attracting centrist voters who traditionally would have voted for the provincial Liberal Party.
It’s unlikely the NDP, with Meili as leader, will draw those liberal voters away from the Sask. Party. It’s not a guarantee that they would have done so with Wotherspoon as leader, but they likely had a better chance of doing so.
At one time, the NDP was regarded as the province’s natural governing party. They led the province for nearly 50 years of the 63 years between 1944 and 2007.
But it could be argued those days are over. They were routed in the last two provincial elections, and while they made gains in urban by-elections last year, they still occupy just 12 of 61 seats in the provincial election.
NDP supporters will tout Meili as the next premier of the province. But it’s much tougher now for an NDP leader to be premier than ever before.
