REGINA - The new leader of Saskatchewan New Democratic Party is expected to be announced soon at the leadership convention under way right now in Regina.
Results are expected to come in shortly at the convention, with an announcement made that results should come in shortly after 3:30 p.m. when voting closes.
Voting was set to close at 3 p.m. in the race to determine who will be the first woman to be leader of the NDP in Saskatchewan. However, the convention has been running about a half hour behind schedule, and it has been announced by party president Sheila Whelan that the voting deadline had been extended to 3:30 p.m. today.
Candidate speeches and showcases wrapped up shortly before 3 p.m. Carla Beck started first, delivering a message similar to what her campaign message had been on the stump: a message of unity with a tagline of "stronger together."
Kaitlyn Harvey's showcase led off with a video presentation that began with a strong, urgent message on climate change, with scenes in the video showing the impact of forest fires and natural disasters. The lengthy video also stressed a heavy emphasis on her support for Indigenous issues.
Earlier, party members heard from outgoing leader Ryan Meili who bid farewell in his final speech as party leader.
Stay tuned for further updates on the Saskatchewan NDP leadership race.