Meili sees strong support from Prince Albert NDP
Ryan Meili told his Prince Albert supporters he would to use his medical background to build a healthier province if he’s chosen to lead the Saskatchewan’s NDP.
The Saskatoon-Meewasin MLA, who won his seat in a March byelection, now has his sights set on winning the party’s leadership over former interim leader Trent Wotherspoon. Meili stopped in Prince Albert yesterday where he spoke to a packed conference room at a local hotel. A former family doctor and author of a book on public health, Meili said he wants to tackle Saskatchewan’s health problems by addressing social issues including poverty, education and unemployment.
“What really makes a difference in people’s health is actually whether they have a decent job, whether they were able to get far enough in school, how much money they have, and whether they have a safe place to stay,” Meili told paNOW. “My approach to politics is trying to build a healthier province.”
By addressing the social determinants of health, Meili said an active government can work to prevent people from getting sick in the first place. A healthy economy leads to a healthy population, he said, which means it’s important for the province to take steps to reduce poverty and ensure well-paying jobs are available.