The Saskatchewan NDP leadership campaign came to Weyburn Wednesday. The two men vying for the position, Trent Wotherspoon and Ryan Meili, held a debate at the Tommy Douglas Centre.

Both men were inspired by the location for the debate, which is the former church where Tommy Douglas was the minister when he started his political career.

“If the walls could speak here, they’d speak of good people coming together and talking about the challenges they face, and bringing forward ideas, and having courage,” said Wotherspoon. Wotherspoon entered the race for the leadership of the NDP in August of this year, after serving as the interim leader after Cam Broten stepped down. Wotherspoon had left the interim position in order to run for the leadership.

Meili was similarly inspired by the setting.

“It was really a beautiful experience, and it reminded me why I got into politics, and why I got in medicine,” Meili said after the debate. He was the first candidate in the leadership campaign, announcing he would seek the leadership role shortly after Broten stepped down. Mieli has previously run for the leadership of the Saskatchewan NDP, losing to Dwain Lingenfelter, and then Cam Broten.

There were very few empty seats at the Tommy Douglas Centre for the debate, as party members, and the interested public, came out to hear what the two had to say about their visions for the NDP, and the province. The topics ranged from discussions on child poverty to the amalgamation of the health regions, economic diversification, and much more.

The NDP will be holding their leadership convention to elect the new leader on March 3, 2018.