After all 53 ballot boxes were counted Monday, the NDP’s Nathaniel Teed had 56.7 per cent of the vote, with nearest rival Kim Groff of the Saskatchewan Party at 37.0 per cent.

Teed and Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck entered the Parktown Hotel on Spadina Crescent in Saskatoon to a wall of supporters cheering, clapping and waving large orange lawn signs. A chant of “NDP” from the crowd arose as the two made their way to the podium.

“I’m excited to get down to work tomorrow and represent the people of Saskatoon Meewasin,” Teed said after his victory was announced.

In his speech to those gathered Monday night, Teed thanked his supporters, his team and his partner, James.

“Now you’ll get to join the MLA spousal support group,” Teed joked, speaking to his partner from the podium.

Teed thanked his partner for keeping their lives together during his campaign and shared that, between the two of them, it was debatable who was more invested in his campaign.

“Our party is more energized than ever.”

The crowd at Sask. NDP headquarters welcoming leader Carla Beck and newly-elected Nathaniel Teed at the Parktown Hotel in Saskatoon.

“Tonight, we’re putting (the Sask Party) on notice,” Beck tells her cheering supporters. pic.twitter.com/q8tFjEjWZT

— Libby Gray (@libby_gray9) September 27, 2022

Teed said the key issues he wants to focus on are health care, education and affordability — with education close to his heart as a former teacher.

The newly elected MLA said he feels his party’s message has been resonating with voters.

“The work is going to be tough but we’re going to do the work, we’re going to get down to the table, meet people and continue to hear their concerns,” Teed told reporters, crediting his party’s team of volunteers for connecting with voters through the NDP’s vision for the province and getting people to the polls.

He also called the night “a really big win for representation,” being the first openly gay MLA to be elected in the province.

“I think it will continue to open the door to ensure that our legislature is representative of the people it serves,” Teed said.

The new MLA said he was surrounded by seniors when he realized that he’d claimed victory in the byelection.

“There was a lot of momentum in the advance polls … We were in some of the seniors buildings and we kept seeing seniors in the hallways with their voter cards saying ‘I voted for you,’ and we could feel that momentum,” Teed said.

Meili barely held on to his seat in the 2020 general election, with only a few hundred votes between the two main parties. This time, Teed managed a more comfortable victory with 2,624 votes to Groff’s 1,712.

Congratulations @nathaniel_teed and the @Sask_NDP team!

The people of Saskatoon Meewasin have chosen themselves a terrific MLA!

— Ryan Meili (has left) (@ryanmeili) September 27, 2022

However, the win for the NDP changes little in the legislature given that it was already a seat held by the opposition.

The entire count remains 48 for the Saskatchewan Party, 12 for the NDP and one independent.

There was little impact made by the other parties in the Saskatoon Meewasin byelection. Liberal Leader Jeff Walters took 2.6 per cent of the vote, the Buffalo Party’s Mark Friesen had 2.4 per cent and Jacklin Andrews of the Green Party was at 1.2 per cent.

Beck said this win is just the start for the province’s NDP.

“We believe we have … a better path for the people of Saskatchewan,” Beck shared.

“We’re not satisfied with adding one more member. We are very serious about doing the work … in order to be able to be in a position to deliver that right alternative, that positive alternative to the Sask. Party in 2024.”

Beck also spoke of Teed’s enthusiasm and positivity throughout his campaign.

“It was easy to work hard for this candidate and this team,” she said.

The final result won’t be known until Oct. 8, when the count and all mail-in ballots are confirmed.

On Saturday afternoon, the deadline passed for candidates to have their papers in to Elections Saskatchewan.

Five candidates are now officially on the ballot:

• Jacklin Andrews, Saskatchewan Green Party
• Mark Friesen, Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan
• Kim Groff,  Saskatchewan Party
• Nathaniel Teed, Sask. New Democratic Party
• Jeff Walters, Saskatchewan Liberal Party

As the days roll ahead, other deadlines are coming forward. Thursday is both the deadline for a person to be registered to vote in the byelection and for a voter to get in their application to vote by mail.

The actual election day is in two weeks, Sept. 26, but there will also be four days of advanced polling, from Sept. 20-24.

Former Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili had held the Meewasin seat since a byelection in 2017, but he announced his retirement from the party’s leadership last winter and then announced at the end of the spring sitting he was leaving his seat in the Legislature.

The 2020 election in the Saskatoon Meewasin riding was an extremely close race between Meili and the Saskatchewan Party candidate, and many watchers will see the results of this byelection as an early litmus test of new NDP Leader Carla Beck’s popularity.

The call also came exactly one week after Moe announced on Twitter the $500 affordability tax credit.

However, Moe doesn’t feel the two being so close together was convenient or opportune timing. He said the first-quarter report comes out every year at the end of August.

“We were anxious to communicate to people the measures that we had put in place, not only on affordability but on debt reduction,” said Moe.

What doesn’t happen every year, said Moe, is a seat being open for a byelection.

“We believe that it is important to have an MLA for the folks of Meewasin in the legislative assembly when it reconvenes here this fall,” said Moe.

The premier did say his party will be talking about its four-point affordability plan during the byelection campaign.

“We always run on the policy that we have put forward as a Saskatchewan Party and as a Saskatchewan Party government. That’s quite frankly unlike the NDP, who quite often will run away from their record of years gone by,” he said.

The byelection is set for Sept. 26. The start of the fall sitting is set for a month later, on Oct. 26.

The Saskatoon Meewasin seat was vacated by former NDP Leader Ryan Meili, who announced his resignation on the final day of the spring session.

Health care

While speaking on the byelection, Moe was asked about the affordability plan and why — with an extra $1.8 billion in unexpected resource revenue projected for the year — the province didn’t put any of that money into health care or education.

Moe pointed to an announcement he said would be coming next week from the two health ministers, Paul Merriman and Everett Hindley. Moe said the two will reveal a “nation-leading plan.”

“(It’s) on how we are going to continue to recruit and retain not only nurses but lab techs and other disciplines as well as ensure that we are training the appropriate amount moving forward and, where necessary, look at the incentive packages we have and possibly adding to those,” said Moe.

According to the premier, the problem leading to the rest of the problems being experienced in health care right now is a lack of staff.

“Everyone wants the same thing. Everyone wants to ensure that the services in our health-care facilities across the province, including here in Saskatoon, are being offered. And the way to do that is to hire more staff,” he said.

Moe said the ministers are announcing the plan as soon as they were able to put it together.

“They’ve been working diligently with a number of associations and groups across the province, putting some detail together as to where we are going with respect to health-care recruitment, and in particular on those topics of retention, recruitment, training and incentivizing positions,” said Moe.

Moe said in many cases, the funding for the staff has already been allocated; they just don’t have the people yet.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Libby Giesbrecht

In a media release Monday, the provincial government announced the date of the Saskatoon Meewasin byelection.

Meili resigned his seat May 19, the final day of the legislative session.

“It’s important that Meewasin residents are represented in the Assembly in the new fall session of the Legislature that starts in October,” Premier Scott Moe said in the release.

“Our government will be running on our record of a strong economy, key investments in Saskatoon and our recent announcement of balancing the budget, paying down debt and providing affordability relief for everyone in Saskatchewan.”

Kim Groff (Saskatchewan Party), Nathaniel Teed (NDP), Jeff Walters (Liberal Party) and Mark Friesen (Buffalo Party) are the four candidates announced to date.

Mark Friesen, a Saskatoon-born small business owner and former correctional officer who ran unsuccessfully for the People’s Party of Canada in the past two federal elections, announced his candidacy Tuesday in the Saskatoon Meewasin riding.

Friesen will be running under the banner of the Buffalo Party of Saskatchewan, which was established in 2020 but failed to win any seats in that election.

According to a statement from the party, Friesen is the founder and CEO of the Forum for Canadian Sovereignty, “a non-governmental organization actively opposing the globalist agenda.”

“Our provincial legislature is full of establishment politicians who have become way too cozy and comfortable and have failed to defend and protect the values of the people of Saskatchewan,” Friesen said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

“We desperately need change and leaders with the courage to stand up to Ottawa and the globalist policies which will hurt people in this province.”

Friesen has gained some notoriety and a large following on social media, where he styles himself “The Grizzly Patriot,” through his outspoken opposition to COVID-19 vaccines, public health measures, and various policies of the Trudeau government.

While a date for the byelection has yet to be finalized, Friesen joins a number of candidates who have already committed to the race, including the Saskatchewan Party’s Kim Goff, the Saskatchewan NDP’s Nathaniel Teed, and the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan’s Jeff Walters.

Meili announced his resignation as both party leader and MLA in May, following his party’s defeat in another byelection, held in the former NDP stronghold of Athabasca.

Saskatchewan Liberal Leader Jeff Walters announced Tuesday he’s joining the race for the seat vacated last month by former NDP Leader Ryan Meili.

Walters says his roots in the riding go back to when he was younger; it’s where he went to school and where he landed his first job at a pharmacy.

“Saskatoon Meewasin truly is a special place for me,” Walters said in a release. “Its issues are my issues. Its successes are my successes.”

Walters will be going up against the Saskatchewan Party’s Kim Groff and the NDP’s Nathaniel Teed.

The byelection must be held before the end of the year, but a date has yet to be announced by Premier Scott Moe.

Nathaniel Teed was nominated by party members in a contested nomination in the Meewasin constituency Wednesday evening.

“I’m humbled to have received the support from our members and excited to hit the ground running,” said Teed in a release.

“I believe in the potential of this province – I’ve seen it firsthand. We have so much opportunity here in Saskatchewan, we just need a government that recognizes the need to build our communities and energize our economy.”

The seat in Saskatoon-Meewasin is up for grabs after former party leader Ryan Meili stepped down as both leader and MLA after the party elected Carla Beck to be the new leader at their June convention.

Teed and his partner own and operate a furniture and design store in downtown Saskatoon.

Teed is a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and says he hopes to bring much-needed representation of this community to the legislature.

“I am so excited that an experienced leader like Nathaniel is joining our team in Saskatoon Meewasin,” Beck said in a release.

“It’s clear that he has energized folks here in the riding and has new ideas and policies to help build a Saskatchewan that works for this generation and the next.”

The Sask. Party is expected to announce its candidate on Thursday.

No date has been set yet for the byelection.

Beck, the MLA for Regina Lakeview, won with 68 per cent of the votes in the June 26 leadership vote.

While there was speculation Harvey would run in Saskatoon Meewasin — the seat vacated by outgoing NDP Leader Ryan Meili — she said she has different plans.

In a statement shared over social media, Harvey said she plans to “hold the Government of Saskatchewan accountable from the outside” by fighting the province on forestry issues and supporting Indigenous communities in constitutional law cases.

“I know there are many great candidates who could run in Meewasin, whereas there aren’t many lawyers in Saskatchewan who practise in this area of law,” Harvey wrote.

“There is a huge need for legal representation and advocacy, right now, and I feel compelled to use my knowledge and skills to help fill this gap.”

Harvey thanked her supporters, and said she will also continue her work with the constituency associations in Willowgrove and Westview, along with her VP role with the Indigenous New Democrats of Saskatchewan.

In front of a couple of dozen supporters — including NDP candidates from Saskatoon — the NDP leader claimed he had won his Saskatoon Meewasin seat in the provincial election.

Meili was trailing Saskatchewan Party candidate Rylund Hunter by 83 votes after ballots were counted Monday night. Elections Saskatchewan started counting mail-in votes Wednesday.

Trouble is, Elections Saskatchewan has yet to make the outcome official.

Here’s @ryanmeili‘s claim of winning Saskatoon Meewasin.@ElectionsSask has not released the final results, as of yet. #skpoli pic.twitter.com/SEkdZyjTdY

— Brady Lang (@BradyLangSK) October 28, 2020

Meili also said his party had won two other hotly contested seats, with Matt Love prevailing in Saskatoon Eastview and Jennifer Bowes winning in Saskatoon University.

Both were leading their respective races after Monday’s ballots were counted, but Elections Saskatchewan reiterated there are more votes to be counted.

“Confirmed as winning today, Jen Bowes and Matt Love. So excited to have them on our team, and I’m so honoured to be able to represent — to continue to represent — the people of Saskatoon Meewasin and again, thank you so much …,” Meili said during his media conference Wednesday.

“I want to thank Rylund Hunter; he worked really hard. (It was) a hard-fought campaign in Saskatoon Meewasin. Well done (by Hunter).”

The Saskatchewan NDP told 650 CKOM the wins had been confirmed by scrutineers allowed to oversee the count.

But Elections Saskatchewan said party representatives who are allowed to oversee the count have to sign an oath of secrecy. Also, the organization said the Saskatoon Meewasin count would not be completed Wednesday.

As of 6 p.m., the Elections Saskatchewan website had Meili ahead of Hunter by 209 votes. But only 1,065 of the 1,656 mail-in ballots issued in the riding had been counted — and there are other ballots outstanding as well.

Elections Saskatchewan’s running tally of seats in the legislature had changed to reflect Meili had taken the lead. The Saskatchewan Party was elected or leading in 49 constituencies, with the NDP elected or leading in 12 ridings.

In a written statement, the Sask. Party said it was waiting to hear the definitive word from Elections Saskatchewan.

“While the Saskatchewan Party also has scrutineers to observe the counting of ballots, we respect Elections Saskatchewan’s role in reporting and verifying polling results,” Sask. Party executive director Patrick Bundrock said in the statement.

“Elections Saskatchewan has now released results in tight races including Prince Albert Northcote and Regina Coronation Park confirming the respective Saskatchewan Party candidates as the successful candidates.”

The Sask. Party duo of Alana Ross and Mark Docherty held narrow leads in those respective ridings after ballots were counted Monday. Their victories were confirmed Wednesday.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Brady Lang

Ryan Meili came out on top in the Saskatoon-Meewasin riding in a race that had representation from five parties.

The by-election was called after Sask. Party MLA Roger Parent passed away in November after a battle with cancer. 

Parent, who was re-elected in April 2016, had served in the riding since 2011. The riding was represented by the NDP from 1995 until 2011.

Many thought the March 2 vote might be an opportunity for voters to tell the provincial government they’re concerned about the deficit, and worried about the discussion around layoffs in health care and talk about unpaid days off.

These conversations were the result of an announced provincial deficit worth at least $1.2 billion.

Many will remember the NDP’s Ryan Meili from 2013 when he ran for the leadership of the party against Cam Broten, who won the contest.

But Broten stepped down last year after losing his seat in the 2016 provincial election. Trent Wotherspoon, who also ran, is now the interim leader of the NDP.

The Saskatchewan NDP will elect its next permanent leader in the spring of 2018.

Meili said in February the last decade has been marred by wasteful spending.
 
“We had the best economic times we have seen certainly in my lifetime and what do we have at the end of it? Big deficits, growing debt,” he said.

Meili was up against the Sask. Party’s Brent Penner, who is currently executive director of Saskatoon’s Downtown Business Improvement District (BID).
 
In February Penner said he was optimistic about carrying the seat for the reigning party, despite early polls showing him trailing the NDP.
 
“A common thread that I hear from people is that they’re happy with the premier for the stand that he’s taken on the issues important to Saskatchewan,” Penner said.

Liberal candidate Darrin Lamoureux said in February he’d heard concern about the projected deficit while on the campaign trail. 
 
“(Residents) just don’t feel the money in the resource boom was spent properly. And to be talking about cuts right now. It’s a big issue at the door,” he said.
 
“We didn’t need to build the Regina bypass. It’s worth $2.1 billion. Had we not built that, and not gone forward with that, we wouldn’t be going into deficit.”
 
David Prokopchuk, who ran for the Progressive Conservatives, said before the election he had been getting an earful on the doorstep.
 
“It’s not mad – it’s just disappointed and upset,” Prokopchuk said.
 
“They thought they had one government and they’re discovering that they’ve had something they didn’t realize they had –they’ve got a deficit.”
 
Prokopchuk pointed out the deficit represents $1,000 owed by every man, woman, and child in the province.
 
For Shawn Setyo, the seat would mark a big step for the Green Party in Saskatchewan.
 
“I hope by 2020, the next general election, we’ll have a very large organizational base and increase our membership and hopefully have a very robust platform by then,” Setyo said in February.
 
The Green Party candidate has heard a number of other issues at the doorstep. 
 
“One that keeps coming up, and I think will come up to the end of time, are the roads,” Setyo said. “And so are the cuts to municipal ties. Provincial governments are concerned. As well as the cuts to the Meewasin trail.”