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In a year-end interview, 980 CJME reporter Andrew Shepherd sat down with NDP Leader Ryan Meili. He talked about what his plans and priorities are for 2019.
Andrew Sheperd (AS): Where do you hope to be and what do you hope to have accomplished by this time next year?
Ryan Meili (RM): It’s going to really be exciting to go from our team of 13 elected folks to a team of 61 elected people and nominated candidates and working alongside them and people in the community and experts and people within the party to build a platform so that by this time next year we’re a lot closer to being able to say exactly what we’re running on and what our offer will be to the people of Saskatchewan.
That’s what’s most exciting to me about this, travelling the province, hearing what’s on people’s minds, what they really want to see and working with them to design a kind of plan that would move Saskatchewan forward in a positive way.
Renewable Energy
Ryan Meili speaks at the NDP leadership convention in Regina, March 3, 2018. (Kevin Martel/980 CJME)
AS: When you became leader you mentioned the NDP needs a vision that excites people. What kind of vision or exciting ideas do you hope to form leading up to the next election?
RM: One of the exciting ideas is Renew Saskatchewan.
Renew is a plan looking at the opportunities that we have in Saskatchewan, lots of sun, lots of wind. We should be leaders in the transition to renewable energy and yet we’re not, we’re way behind.
However, we have SaskPower, we’ve got the ability working with our crowns to really change that and change it quickly. We have so many roofs, so many shops, and rinks and buildings all throughout the province that could have solar panels on them. Lots of opportunities for geothermal biomass, other types of renewable energy. Right now it’s a big cost barrier for people who want to make that shift, want to be producing energy at home and even making money from it.What we’d like to do with Renew Saskatchewan is implement a loan program.
If you want to put panels on the roof of your shop or have new high efficiency windows and you know that’ll save money, well we come out and we do the assessment. You find out how long it would take to pay off that savings, you get the loan right up front and by paying the power bills you’re already paying, you pay off that loan, your power bills drop right away. Then once you’ve paid it off, drop to next to nothing or maybe even making money because you’re producing electricity, selling it back to the grid.
I really like that idea and I’ve found that people have been really excited by it because they see that positive change to renewable energy but also opportunities for lower bills and opportunities for lots of jobs in the construction, the maintenance, the manufacturing of all of the materials that go into such a project.
Rural Saskatchewan
AS: Where do you see yourself a year from now on gains in rural Saskatchewan?
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili is interviewed by 980 CJME reporter Andrew Shepherd at the Saskatchewan legislature. (Submitted
RM: The number one thing, and this is something we haven’t done as well as we should, is being in rural Saskatchewan. I spent this summer travelling all throughout rural Saskatchewan and I’m back there throughout January and February. Even through the session, I’m going to be getting in and out.
There are lots of seats where we have opportunity, where people are frustrated, where there’s a greater sense that, I think the elimination of STC, some of the things that are going on with long-term care. There’s a greater sense that the Sask. Party is taking rural Saskatchewan for granted, that they just assume those votes are theirs and they don’t have to try. I don’t believe that’s the case. I don’t believe that the NDP is without hope in rural Saskatchewan. In fact, the crowds as I’m travelling are getting bigger every time.
I think there’s a lot more excitement out there than the Sask. Party assumes.
Priorities for 2019
AS: What are your goals and priorities for 2019?
RM: It is the candidate selection.
We’ve got candidate recruitment hard underway and we’re going to have those nomination meetings, which is really a big part of it because you get those extra bodies and names and faces that are out in the community meeting with people one on one and that grows our team.
Then working with them and everyone else around the team to build a platform that, as you said, excites and inspires people.
You’re going to see ideas around how do we address equality, how do we improve health outcomes, how do we make life more affordable and more fair in Saskatchewan?
