'The last thing I want to maintain is the status quo,' says Sask. NDP leadership hopeful Trent Wotherspoon

It's time for Saskatchewan's NDP to be bold in its commitments and capture attention in the lead-up to the next election, says leadership hopeful Trent Wotherspoon.

"It's critical for us to, in my perspective, lay out a clear vision of what we want to accomplish, to excite the people of our province," Wotherspoon told Garth Materie, host of CBC Radio's Blue Sky.

"The last thing I want to maintain is the status quo."

Wotherspoon said he has made "bold" commitments, including investing in $15-a-day child care and a universal mental health and addictions plan, as part of that disruption of the status quo.

The Regina Rosemont MLA and former interim NDP leader is vying for the leadership of the party, along with Ryan Meili, who won his Saskatoon Meewasin seat in a byelection last year.

The provincial NDP has been without a permanent leader since former leader Cam Broten lost his Saskatoon seat in the April 2016 provincial election and stepped down as leader a week later. 

Wotherspoon said both MLAs are "motivated to address social and economic justice." But he contrasted himself with Meili, saying he brings more than 10 years of experience as a MLA, and has built several relationships with people in the province and caucus colleagues in that time.

During the radio program, Wotherspoon took a number of questions from listeners, affirming he would get rid of corporate and union donations to political parties, that he would re-establish a province-wide public transportation system, and that he would push for more renewable energy generation in the province.

He also touched on marijuana legalization, saying he feels 19 "is the right age" to buy pot legally, coinciding with the province's drinking age.

Rural crime 

Faced with a question on rural crime, Wotherspoon said the province must tackle a few key areas, including addressing poverty, addictions and a crystal meth "crisis," as well as working to make sure police forces are properly resourced.

"I know the cuts to municipalities have not been helpful on that front at all," he said.

When it comes to reducing the province's deficit, Wotherspoon said he would work to reduce the "waste and mismanagement" that he said has plagued projects like the Global Transportation Hub and the Regina bypass.    

"We've got to get our fiscal house back in order. I've committed to a full accountability commission to do just that," he said of the need to push for an inquiry into the government's handling of the Global Transportation Hub.

'Last thing we need' is more austerity

The Sask. Party came to power in 2007 with historic revenue highs, but over the last 10 years, it has failed to put money into a rainy day fund, said Wotherspoon, and instead introduced an austerity budget last spring.

"Sadly this is a government that's put us in a hole, but the last thing we need right now is more austerity," he said.

"What we need is good oversight, getting value for public resources and getting us back on a sustainable path fiscally."

Party members will select a new leader at a March 3 leadership convention in Regina.