NDP leadership candidate Ryan Meili stopped by Swift Current on Monday night.

Meili is the MLA for Saskatoon-Meewasin and said so far his campaign is going great. He has travelled around Saskatchewan to discuss his ideas and thoughts for the future of Saskatchewan and decided to stop in Swift Current.

Meili said that he is focusing on improving the quality of life for people in Saskatchewan, such as investing in early childhood development and creating a pharmacare program.

"I’ve been talking about universal pharmacare and the need for us to have that kind of program to save money in our health system," he said. "It's to make sure people are not choosing between paying rent or paying for medications that they need."

Meili added that another important topic for him is establishing a $15/hour minimum wage as a plan to reduce poverty.

"That's something that I believe is necessary," he said. "There's been really good evidence, not only, would it lift people out of poverty but also is helpful for the economy, and that local businesses do better when people have more money to spend."

For Meili, this is his third time running for the NDP leadership but his first as an MLA, something that he says has given him more experience.

"Well one major difference is I wasn't an MLA before," he said. "I've now been elected so more experience in the legislature, and I think we are at a different moment right now where theirs a greater appetite among Saskatchewan people for some bolder ideas and that's what we are trying to bring forward."

Earlier on Monday, the Saskatchewan government announced that marijuana would be sold by private companies after the drug is federally legalized.

Meili said there still is some work to be done on how they should retail it.

"I think there is some debate to be had about the best way to retail it," he said. "One thing I would say is, the money that comes in, we should make sure that every cent goes to support mental health and addictions. To support anyone who is struggling with any addictions but also to invest in that really under-resourced part of our health system."

Meili added they need to focus the money they make off of the sale of marijuana and put it towards making peoples' lives better.

The NDP leadership convention will be held on March 3, 2018, and Meili will face off against Trent Wotherspoon - the other declared candidate.

The party has been without a permanent leader since Cam Broten stepped down following the 2016 provincial election.