Carla Beck made history Sunday afternoon in Regina, becoming the first woman elected to lead the NDP in Saskatchewan.
Beck received 3244 votes against 1492 votes of Caitlin Harvey in the race held after Ryan Mayley announced in February that he will retire as leader.
“The only way I can thank you is to get this province back,” Beck said after his victory.
Beck said the NDP is the party that can bring about the change that people are looking for.
“We can win and then we can achieve the positive change and the future we all want for our province,” she said.
In a speech before the personal vote, Beck called for party unity. “Everyone has a role and a place in our party,” Beck said.
“Fear and division, this is Sask. The party way. We know we are stronger together.”
Beck received the approval of six of her NDP colleagues, including Doyle Vermet, who introduced her on Sunday. It was also supported by more than a dozen former MLA MPs.
Harvey calls for action against climate change
In her pre-vote speech, Harvey’s presentation to members focused on the province’s future in a changing climate.
“We have no more time to wait for action. We need to ask for better from our elected employees.”
Harvey said there had been “a lot of talk” about forming new parties, and said the NDP had to deal with that.
Caitlin Harvey received 1,492 votes in the leadership race. (Olivier Ruquayrol Jodwen / Radio Canada)
She ended her speech by asking members to support a petition by Liberal Party leader Jeff Walters calling for an investigation into the provincial government’s response to the pandemic.
Harvey also said he would launch a petition to investigate the state’s forestry management.
Last month, Mailey said she would leave politics altogether, resigns from his position in Saskatoon Miwasin from July 1.
Harvey announced that he intends to seek the party’s nomination to replace Meili.
Mailey calls for party unity
Before the vote, outgoing leader Ryan Mayley addressed delegates.
Mailey did not support any of the candidates during the three-month campaign, nor on Sunday.
“Today we are electing the first woman to be Saskatchewan’s prime minister.
Mailey said he and others “spent too much time fighting. Who wants to join a team fighting each other?”
He called on members not to split after the vote, but to work together, saying “each of these NDP MLAs is driven by love for the people of Saskatchewan.”
Former Prime Minister Lorne Calvert applauds former NDP leader Ryan Mayley. Members stood to recognize Maylie after he was thanked by new party leader Carla Beck. (Olivier Ruquayrol Jodwen / Radio Canada)
Mailey also fired on his political enemy, Prime Minister Scott Moe, criticizing Moe’s “evolution.”
“Scott Moe’s ongoing evolution to a solid right, anti-wax, anti-science, supporting the cosplay of the uprising, Trump’s Republican after the truth.
Mailey said he looks forward to helping patients as a doctor and spending more time with his wife and two sons.
LISTEN | The political panel discusses the upcoming NDP elections and what the winner will face
The Morning Edition – Sask8: 06 Political Panel June 24, 2022
Saskatchewan’s NDP will choose its next leader this weekend. We spoke with our panel Adam Hunter of CBC Saskatchewan and Leader-Post columnist Murray Mandrick about the two job seekers and what they will face against the winner.
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