Head Tale

We're a week away from the Saskatchewan NDP convention and it's hard to believe how far Ryan and his campaign have come in a few short months.  From being one of three people all working hard for the second place spot in the minds of voters, I would say that all indications – money raised, number of donors, range of endorsements, Facebook support, etc. – show that Ryan is now firmly in second place.  He's still the underdog against the better-funded, better-known front-runner but I think Ryan has a real shot at winning – if not on the first ballot, then definitely on one of the subsequent ones. 

I also think the choice is clear – the Saskatchewan NDP can elect a young, dynamic, progressive, inclusive, politically savvy doctor as their leader.  Or they can elect somebody who's not. 

A CBC reporter has observed that a high level source within the Sask Party told her that Premier Brad Wall is more concerned about running against Ryan, “a social democratic doctor leading a social democratic life” than Dwain Lingenfelter who's been in politics for twenty years, the Alberta oil industry for nearly a decade and who is, for lack of a better term, a very traditional politician with all of the baggage and history that comes with that. 

Brad Wall knows how to compete with Link. I don't know if he knows how to compete with Ryan.  Because Ryan takes all of Brad Wall's perceived strengths and trumps them.  Youth.  Big ideas.  Being a nice guy.   Then Ryan goes beyond that and brings so much more to the table as well – commitment to Saskatchewan, commitement to some of society's most disadvantaged people, incredible political skills for someone so young.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, Ryan and everybody around him knows they have to get through next Saturday.    To celebrate the campaign and to help out people who may be looking to learn a bit more about Ryan, I put together one last video using some pictures Ryan had on Facebook from before he entered the race for leader. 

It shows a different side of Ryan – his work in Saskatoon, the far north of the province and Africa.  There are photos of his family and his fiance.  There are photos of his “home 40” near Courval, Saskatchewan and there is even a shot of Ryan as a child with one of his young friends.  Enjoy!  (Oh, today's also the last day to donate to the Ryan Meili “money bomb” so if you haven't already, why not send in $5 or $10 or $34 to be a part of Canadian political history?)