Saskatchewan’s new NDP leader has called for party unity after a narrow 44 vote win at last weekend’s leadership convention.
Saskatoon MLA Cam Broten edged out Saskatoon doctor Ryan Meili on the second ballot to become the youngest NDP leader in the province’s history.
Meili, who finished second to former leader Dwain Lingenfelter in 2009, was ahead after the first ballot. Regina MLA Trent Wotherspoon was in third place and dropped out to leave the two contenders.
Broten was able to pull more of Wotherspoon’s supporters to him, most of which had been done ahead of time by mail-in preferential ballot. Broten received 4,164 votes on the second ballot to Meili’s 4,120.
Broten, 34, named Wotherspoon as deputy leader.
The NDP has nine of 58 seats in the legislature and all three leadership candidates acknowledged that making gains in rural areas must be a priority.
