She announced her run Tuesday morning in Saskatoon. Harvey described herself as “Métis’ lawyer, organizer of a research community and climate justice activist.” Harvey said she decided to join the campaign more than two weeks ago. “We are here for you, we are here for our children, we are here for something different. We want a different future for this province and this is our time to do that,” Harvey said. She said she was seeking leadership for her 14-year-old son, whom she described as “her boss”. Harvey was moved during her speech to describe the death of her cousin Brendan Vermet, who died last month at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. “The day he died of a drug overdose in the PA pen was the day I could no longer be silent,” Harvey said. He said the party had advocated for things like harm reduction and mental health support, but that these efforts “have not gone far enough”. Harvey said climate action and reconciliation were at the top of her list of priorities. “Our cultures and our communities are at risk from the decisions that this government makes. It is 2022 and our emissions continue to be among the highest per capita in the world and are not declining.” Harvey said the provincial government “wants to increase investment in oil and gas and fossil fuel resources when it needs to invest in communities to reduce our emissions and create new green jobs.” Kaitlyn Harvey stands in front of her supporters at the start of her Saskatoon campaign. (Dan Zakreski / CBC)
Harvey was introduced by former Saskatoon NDP MLA Cathy Sproule. “I was always impressed by her enthusiasm and willingness to jump. Kaitlyn’s courage and strength are incredible to face a challenge like this and that’s exactly what this party needs to move forward,” Sproule said. Saskatchewan NDP Vice President Senos Timon also backed Harvey. “I’m proud to be here today to support my friend Kaitlyn, a Native woman and our first NDP leader who is coming on June 26, and I hope she becomes Saskatchewan ‘s prime minister.” Harvey enters Regina Lakeview NDP MLA Carla Beck in the race to replace current leader Ryan Meili, who announced he was leaving in February. Beck has received applause from teammates Regina, Trent Wotherspoon, Aleana Young and Nicole Sarauer. Beck also received approvals from seven women, all of them former party MPsincluding Cabinet Ministers Pat Atkinson, Doreen Hamilton and Deb Higgins. Harvey called Beck “a great person who has done a great job for this party” and said they both work for the good of the community. Harvey is not an elected MLA and there are no elections on the horizon in which he could win a seat in the legislature. Meili won a run-off election in 2017 and then won the leadership in March 2018. Harvey said she thinks having no place right now is a good thing. “I’m excited about not having a seat. We have two years before the next election and I can use that time to do the hard work our party needs to go to the countryside and talk to the people and build possibilities within our party “. Harvey ran for the NDP unsuccessfully in the 2020 Saskatoon Willowgrove County primary, losing to Saskatchewan’s candidate Ken Cheveldayoff by 3,900 votes. He said he ran in 2020 just before the document was dropped and had only 30 days to campaign in a strong Saskatchewan constituency. The NDP will take over the leadership in June in Regina. To participate in the race, candidates for leadership must be members in good standing and meet the following conditions:

Signatures of at least 100 members – half of whom must be women or of the opposite sex – from at least 20 constituencies. A non-refundable registration fee of $ 4,000. Keep a $ 200,000 campaign spending limit. Get approval from the Saskatchewan NDP.

Party members will be able to vote electronically or by mail.