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The immediate criticism of Meili’s extensive grocery list is its cost to an already deficit-plagued Saskatchewan budget. To this, Meili’s only answer is to “save money in health care by using the Choosing Wisely Canada approach to evidence-based practice.” That would not be enough to offset massive expenditures like pharmacare, restoration of education funding and a new, intricate public transportation system.

Already, Meili is taking a beating for having policies … which is likely why the other leadership hopefuls are opting to say nothing instead.

There have been no policy pronouncements on Trent Wotherspoon’s trent4leader.ca webpage although he supports Meili’s $15 minimum wage. Wotherspoon did unveil Tuesday an intriguing universal childcare plan that would cost parents just $15 a day. (No costing was included.)

Ken Cheveldayoff has been the most active Sask. Party candidate followed by Gord Wyant and Tina Beaudry-Mellor (the former social services minister has made it known she adamantly opposes Meili’s $15 minimum wage). Beyond denouncing federal taxation policies, Scott Moe — the candidate with the most caucus support — has offered few policies of his own other than calling for a separate provincial trade ministry.

Alanna Koch’s alannaforleader.ca page now outlines her policy, but it’s all platitudes without specifics that turn into a recitation of her commitment to past Brad Wall government policies, her strong, free-market philosophy and her credentials as deputy agriculture minister and agriculture group lobbyist. Really, it’s a subtle admission that she’s identified a path to victory that’s all about who you know rather than what you will do.