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Meara Conway

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Meara Conway
MLA
Shadow Minister for Health
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 3, 2025
LeaderCarla Beck
Shadow Minister of Rural and Remote Health. Ethics and Democracy
In office
November 13, 2024 – June 3, 2025
LeaderCarla Beck
Deputy House Leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 5, 2022
LeaderCarla Beck
Critic, Social Services; Housing; Human Rights; and Community-Based Organizations
In office
November 4, 2020 – November 13, 2024
LeaderRyan Meili and Carla Beck
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Regina Elphinstone-Centre
Incumbent
Assumed office
October 26, 2020
Preceded byWarren McCall
Personal details
PartySaskatchewan New Democratic Party
EducationMcGill University
Occupationlawyer
Websitehttps://mearaconway.ca/

Meara Conway (Meer-a); is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan in the 2020 Saskatchewan general election. She represents the electoral district of Regina Elphinstone-Centre as a member of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party.[1]

Political career

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Meara Conway, a former lawyer, has been a prominent critic of the Saskatchewan Party government on issues relating to government spending, procurement, conflicts of interest, and political accountability. During her time in opposition, Conway has raised concerns in the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly and through formal complaints regarding the use of public funds and potential conflicts of interest involving government officials and private businesses.

One of the most significant matters pursued by Conway involved Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal and government social services payments to motel properties in which he held an ownership interest. Conway filed a successful complaint with Saskatchewan’s Conflict of Interest Commissioner. A 2024 investigation concluded that Grewal had contravened provisions of The Members’ Conflict of Interest Act. Conway began pursuing the matter after assisting a senior who had been evicted from a government-owned building and subsequently placed in a hotel. She alleged that the senior was charged an inflated room rate by the hotel after Saskatchewan's Ministry of Social Services began covering the cost of the accommodation. Conway's scrutiny of the case subsequently drew attention to the hotel's ownership and its financial relationship with the provincial government. The controversy received substantial public and media attention and became part of a broader debate over government procurement, social-services spending, housing policy, and conflict-of-interest safeguards in Saskatchewan.

Conway also filed a successful conflict-of-interest complaint against Saskatchewan Party MLA and cabinet minister Jeremy Cockrill. In 2024, Saskatchewan's Conflict of Interest Commissioner found that Cockrill had contravened The Members’ Conflict of Interest Act by participating in government contracts while holding a beneficial interest in a family-owned windows and doors business.

Her work in opposition has consequently focused in significant part on government ethics, using legislative questioning, access-to-information records, public advocacy, and formal complaints to bring greater scrutiny to the Saskatchewan Party government.

During the 2020 Saskatchewan election Conway came under fire from the Saskatchewan Party over social media comments made in 2018 that implied an opposition to the Alberta oil sands. Party leader Ryan Meili subsequently addressed the comments and affirmed NDP support for oil and gas, while recognizing the need to invest in renewables sources of energy.[2] Conway reiterated that she is "very concerned about the impacts of climate change" and applauded the NDP's approach, which she said includes "investments into renewable energy that would create sustainable, well-paying jobs for energy sector workers."[2]

Conway has served as NDP critic for Health, Social Services, Housing, Human Rights, Community-Based Organizations, Rural and Remote Health, Childcare and Early Learning, Francophone Affairs, Ethics and Democracy, Associate Education, and as Deputy House Leader for the Opposition. [3]

While serving as critic for Social Services, Housing, and Community-based Organizations, Conway led consultations across Saskatchewan and released a comprehensive report on housing, poverty, and social assistance in early 2022. The report examined changes to housing policy, a pattern of cuts to services, and took aim at changes to the SIS program introduced by the Saskatchewan Party. The report proposed both short and longterm policy recommendations aimed at reducing homelessness and improving Saskatchewan’s social safety net.[4]

As of June 2025, Conway was named the Health critic.

Personal life

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Conway lives in Regina with her three children and partner, a school teacher.[5]

Prior to running for office, Conway was a public defender with Legal Aid Saskatchewan and was named one of Canadian Lawyer's 25 Most Influential Lawyers of 2019 for her public interest work.[6] Before going into law, she was an award-winning musician and remains a strong advocate for the arts.[7][8][9]

Conway has deep roots in Saskatchewan. Her grandparents were active on the frontline for the battle for medicare, and founding members of the Saskatoon Community Clinic.[10][11][12] Her grandfather, Ed Mahood was born on a farm in Grenfell, Saskatchewan and worked for years as a rural teacher before becoming a professor of Educational Foundations at the University of Saskatchewan.[13] He helped organize community clinics across the province and was the first chair of the Saskatoon Community Clinic Board, which pioneered “interdisciplinary community medicine” in Saskatchewan.[10][14] He was known as one of the "peaceful generals in the grassroots struggle for Medicare."[15]

Her grandmother, Dr. Margaret Mahood was born in Alameda, Saskatchewan and was among the first small group of women psychiatrists practicing in Canada.[16] She was one of a few doctors who worked through the bitter Saskatchewan doctors' strike of 1962,[11] resigning from her position at the North Battleford Hospital to join Dr. Joan Witney-Moore at the newly formed Saskatoon community clinic.[17] Demand was great for services and the clinic was open until midnight in its first days.[18] The strike was a significant test for Medicare and community clinics were key to undermining its effectiveness.[19] The strike's failure allowed Medicare to continue and the Saskatchewan model was adopted throughout Canada within ten years.[19]

Conway's mother, Dr. Sally Mahood, has practised family medicine in Regina for 40 years and is a longtime advocate for women's health.[20] Conway's father, John Conway, is a retired sociology Professor at the University of Regina and served as a trustee for the Regina Public School Board undefeated for 18 years before he retired in 2009.[21][22]

Electoral record

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2024 Saskatchewan general election: Regina Elphinstone-Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticMeara Conway3,26861.08-0.33
SaskatchewanCaesar Khan1,41726.49-1.27
Saskatchewan UnitedPamela Carpenter3105.79–
ProgressNathan Bruce1993.72–
GreenJim Elliott1562.92-3.49
Total valid votes 5,35099.42
Total rejected ballots 310.58-0.90
Turnout 5,38138.06+5.95
Eligible voters 14,138
New Democratic hold Swing –
Source: Elections Saskatchewan[23]
2020 Saskatchewan general election: Regina Elphinstone-Centre
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticMeara Conway2,49161.41+2.23
SaskatchewanCaesar Khan1,12627.76-2.43
GreenNaomi Hunter2606.41+2.44
Progressive ConservativeDon Kirk1243.06-
IndependentRolf Hartloff551.36–
Total valid votes 4,05698.52
Total rejected ballots 611.48+1.03
Turnout 4,11732.11-6.64
Eligible voters 12,820
New Democratic hold Swing –
Source: Elections Saskatchewan

References

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  1. ↑ "Saskatchewan election: Regina Elphinstone-Centre". Global News. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  2. 1 2 "'A f—ing nightmare': NDP candidate's past comments on oil and gas draw scrutiny". Global News. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  3. ↑ CJME News (November 4, 2020). "Saskatchewan NDP leader names shadow cabinet". 980 CJME. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  4. ↑ "NDP releases report on housing and poverty, calls on government to do more". CKOM News. January 25, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Official Website Meara Conway".
  6. ↑ "The Top 25 Most Influential 2019 winner: Meara Conway". Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  7. ↑ "Meara Conway - biography". Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  8. ↑ "Saskatchewan Artists to Watch". Sask Culture. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  9. ↑ "Hitting a high note, beating a drum". CKOM News. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  10. 1 2 "Medical Care in Saskatchewan". Saskapedia. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  11. 1 2 "Community Clinics". The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  12. ↑ Rands, Stan (1994). Privilege and Policy: A History of Community Clinics in Saskatchewan (PDF). Community Health Cooperative Federation. ISBN 0969918003. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  13. ↑ Rands, Stan (1994). Privilege and Policy: A History of Community Clinics in Saskatchewan (PDF). Community Health Cooperative Federation. ISBN 0969918003. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  14. ↑ Rands, Stan (1994). Privilege and Policy: A History of Community Clinics in Saskatchewan (PDF). Community Health Cooperative Federation. ISBN 0969918003. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  15. ↑ Rands, Stan (1994). Privilege and Policy: A History of Community Clinics in Saskatchewan (PDF). Community Health Cooperative Federation. ISBN 0969918003. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  16. ↑ "Dr. Margaret Mahood fought for medicare in Saskatchewan". Globe and Mail. June 17, 2013. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  17. ↑ Gruending, Dennis. "The first ten years" (PDF). Saskatoon Community Clinic. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  18. ↑ "Saskatoon: the Birthplace of Medicare" (PDF). Saskatoon Community Clinic. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  19. 1 2 "Saskatchewan Doctors' Strike". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  20. ↑ Giesbrecht, Lynn (November 20, 2019). "YWCA names new childcare centres after well-known Regina women". Leader Post. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  21. ↑ "U of R Faculty: John Conway". University of Regina. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  22. ↑ "John F. Conway". Lorimer. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  23. ↑ "A Report on the Thirtieth General Election: Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections Saskatchewan. 2025-05-29. Retrieved 2025-07-24.
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