Ryan Meili

Dr. Ryan Meili
Personal details
Born April 11, 1975
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Political party Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Residence Saskatoon
Occupation Physician

Ryan Meili is a physician from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He ran for the leadership of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party in 2009[1] and 2013,[2] placing second both times.

Meili lives and works in Saskatoon’s core community of Riversdale. He is a family physician at WestSide Community Clinic and SWITCH (Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health).[3]

Early life and education

Meili was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and grew up on a family farm near Courval, Saskatchewan.[4] He attended Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw before going on to the University of Saskatchewan where he studied Human Anatomy and Languages.

After finishing his first degree, Meili's first attempt to attend medical school was rejected. He then travelled to South America for five months and experienced life the developing world.[5] In 1999 he co-organized a project called Limbs and Light for Latin America which raised money to purchase a school bus which they then filled with prosthetic limbs for landmine victims and drove to Nicaragua.

Meili entered the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in September 2000 and graduated in 2004.[6] He completed his residency at the Westwinds Primary Health Centre in Saskatoon in June 2007. In 2012 he published "A Healthy Society: how a focus on health can revive Canadian democracy."[7]

In 2001, Meili was arrested during a peaceful protest at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City.[8] He received an absolute discharge and the conviction was erased after one year.[9]

Saskatchewan NDP leadership bids

2009

Meili entered the race for the leadership of Saskatchewan's NDP party on February 5, 2009. He was the fourth and final declared candidate joining former Deputy Premier Dwain Lingenfelter; MLA Deb Higgins and former party president, Yens Pedersen.[10] Meili ran on a platform of party renewal: "Meili said he hopes his entry into the race helps revive the NDP. 'If the NDP is allowed to die, only to be resuscitated every 20 years . . . then we’re not building a healthy society."[11] His policies placed him in the progressive wing of the party. As part of his campaign, Meili released a series of professionally produced campaign videos and announced a week-long "money bomb" which was the first of its kind in Canadian politics. Meili placed second to Lingenfelter, with 45% of the vote on the second ballot.[12]

2013

On September 14, 2012, Meili announced that he would once again be seeking the leadership of the Saskatchewan NDP.[7] Three other candidates entered the leadership race: Cam Broten, economist Erin Weir and MLA Trent Wotherspoon. On February 20, 2013, Weir dropped his bid for the leadership and announced he would support Meili.[13] Meili again placed second, losing by just 44 votes on the second ballot.[2]

Other political bids

Meili initially sought the NDP nomination for Saskatoon Sutherland prior to the 2011 provincial election but later withdrew.[14] He also considered running as a federal NDP candidate for the riding of Saskatoon West in 2015, but decided not to.[15]

Awards

Published works

References

  1. ↑ "Meili says he won't run in Calvert's constituency". CBC News. June 9, 2009. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Broten narrowly defeats Meili to become leader of the Saskatchewan NDP". CBC News. 2013-03-09. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  3. ↑ "Dr. Meili's Book Launch – Thursday, May 24th". SWITCH. April 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  4. ↑ "A look at Ryan Meili, running for leader of the Saskatchewan NDP". Times Colonist. Canadian Press. 2013-03-08. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  5. ↑ Nicurity, Jordan (2012-01-10). "The Doctors Are In". Prairies North. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  6. ↑ "Spring Convocation" (PDF). University of Saskatchewan. May 2004. p. 61. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Ryan Meili kicks off NDP leadership campaign". News Talk 980 CJME (Rawlco Communications). September 14, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  8. ↑ "Saskatoon man charged after summit protest". CBC News. 2001-04-23. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  9. ↑ http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Health/Forbes+endorses+Meili+leadership/1499830/story.html
  10. ↑ "Saskatoon doctor running for NDP leadership". CBC News. February 5, 2009. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  11. ↑ Saskatoon Star Phoenix, February 5, 2009
  12. ↑ Mandryk, Murray (2009-06-08). "Campaign chugged to the finish line". Leader-Post (Postmedia Network). Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  13. ↑ "Erin Weir drops out of Saskatchewan NDP race". CBC News. 2013-02-20. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  14. ↑ Woods, James (September 28, 2010). "Meili withdraws from NDP race in Sutherland". The StarPhoenix. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  15. ↑ "Meili not seeking NDP nomination in Saskatoon West". The StarPhoenix (Postmedia Network). 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2014-09-03. |
  16. ↑ "Good On A Global Scale". Planet S. February 15, 2007. Archived from the original on 2009-03-08.
  17. ↑ "Westside Clinic Wins Award" (PDF). Focus (Community Health Services (Saskatoon) Association, Ltd.) 42 (1): 1. Spring 2006. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  18. ↑ Meili, Ryan (April 16, 2012). A Healthy Society: How a Focus on Health can Revive Canadian Democracy. Purich Publishing. ISBN 9781895830637.

External links