Since the 2009 race, Ryan’s gone from being the youngest candidate to the oldest.
There’s also been another less obvious but equally drastic shift in the dynamic this time around…
In the last race, my memory is that three of all of the four candidates had strong rural connections – Ryan grew up on a farm, Dwain Lingenfelter still ran a family farm and (I think) Yens grew up on a farm too. Deb Higgins was (maybe?) the only candidate without any farm background and her husband had a ranch.
This time around, the pendulum has swung the other way – three of the four candidates have mostly urban roots leaving Ryan the only one with a farm upbringing as well as an immediate family member (his brother) who still farms. Erin was born in Saskatoon and grew up in Regina, Trent was born and raised in Regina and Cam lived in Regina and the far north (though, to be fair, I believe his in-laws still farm.)
With the province becoming increasingly urban, why is it important to have a Leader who not only understands but truly connects with rural issues? You only have to look at the current Saskatchewan electoral map to see where the party most needs renewal. We still control the north and have strong pockets in the cities. Turning the newly green parts of the cities orange again should be the easiest part of our renewal.
But for too long, we’ve ceded a large swath (er, pun fully intended. I’m on Team Meili after all) of the province to the Sask Party. Every time we visit Shea’s parents in Weyburn, it makes me extremely sad that the home turf of Tommy Douglas is now represented by a Sask Party MLA (who is, you’ll notice, from a rural background.)
(Slight tangent: Shea was a classmate of The Honourable Mr. Dustin Duncan so if you ever want to hear some stories about him in high school or what his nickname was back then, be sure to ask her!)
Anyhow, if the NDP is going to succeed again in rural areas, we need someone who has authenticity in that world. It’s a bit of a stereotype but there’s also some truth to the fact that rural people are naturally suspicious of “city folk”. Having a Leader who can “tell the hay from the straw”, as they say, will go a long way to creating that initial trust.
Rural people are also pragmatic and if presented with a vision like Ryan’s – not just of agriculture but the entire package – I know many of them will listen. Add in the fact that rural people are increasingly starting to feel mistreated or taken for granted by the Sask Party and there’s huge potential for a breakthrough.
This post is mostly about the advantages that Ryan’s rural roots would bring to the NDP if he were elected Leader. But there’s a related aspect in that, again like no other candidate, Ryan has direct, long-term experience living in almost every type of community that Saskatchewan offers. Raised on a farm near a small hamlet. Went to elementary school in a small town and high school in a mid-sized city. Has lived in Saskatoon for University and since finishing medical school with extended stints in northern Saskatchewan as well.
To me, there’s a huge difference between living somewhere and just visiting in how you get to know a place. (For me, it’s the difference I experienced between living in England for a semester versus if I’d gone for a three week long holiday.) Because Ryan has experienced pretty much every size and variation of community in the province in, I believe he’s gained a unique insight into the mindset and concerns of people in all types of communities across the province that would serve him well as Leader.
The other thing that can’t be under-rated is that, as a doctor, Ryan chose to *stay* in Saskatchewan, working in the inner city and far north of the province rather than seeking his fortune in Alberta or BC. Of particular appeal to rural people is the fact that he even worked as a rural relief locum, giving doctors in small communities around the province, badly needed time off.
I don’t care what their political leanings are – I’ve seen first-hand how that fact impresses people in small towns who often have struggled to receive adequate medical care locally.
His knowledge and connection to rural communities, his existing connection to a family farm, his work as a rural relief locum – Ryan is the perfect candidate to lead a revival of the NDP’s fortunes in rural Saskatchewan.
Next – #6 – He Dropped Out of Sutherland (But Kept His Beard)
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