Premier Moe asks for support of party members ahead of convention and leadership review

Premier Scott Moe will seek the support of Saskatchewan Party members at the party's convention in Saskatoon on Saturday.

Moe will face a leadership review vote, which is held regularly at conventions.

"I will humbly be asking for the support of the attendees at our convention," Moe said Thursday.

The biennial convention will be in person at TCU Place, but has been scaled back from an original plan due to the pandemic.

"We traditionally have a number of social events and gatherings that are co-ordinated alongside the convention. We really pared it down just in the interest of reducing that point of contact. And obviously, all of the public health measures, masking, proof of vaccination are in place."

Moe said he was excited to be able to see other party members in person and not on a computer screen.

He said he expects there to be disagreement on how the government has handled the pandemic, based on contact he and caucus liaisons have had with party members over the last year or so.

"Do we have a difference of opinion? Sure. I think it's fair in our caucus. It's fair and in any group of people up and down any street here in the province."

The most high-profile public difference of opinion within the party came from Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Nadine Wilson, who resigned from the caucus after misrepresenting her vaccination status. 

Wilson has spoken out inside and outside the legislative chamber about the government's vaccination policy and has not revealed her vaccination status.

None of the other 46 Saskatchewan Party MLAs have voiced views similar to Wilson publicly or questioned the government's COVID response.

The Saskatchewan NDP held its convention virtually last month. Party leader Ryan Meili received 72 per cent support from the more than 400 registered convention delegates.

Both Alberta and Manitoba's NDP leaders received more than 90 per cent support in their leadership votes.

Moe does not face the same prospect of a leadership review as Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. In Sept., facing pressure from his caucus and party, Kenney asked the party to hold a leadership review in the spring of 2022 rather than the fall.