NDP's Ryan Meili and Sask. Party's Brent Penner face off in CBC debate

A recent poll putthe Saskatchewan Party's Brent Penner and NDP's Ryan Meili neck and neck, and on Monday theycame face to face ina live debate on CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

Host Julianne Hazlewoodasked the candidates about their positions relating to the Saskatchewan economy, First Nations revenue sharing and reducing the provincial deficit.

They were also given an opportunity to make a final pitch to voters, who will go to the polls on March 2.

Latest polling results

Despite polls suggesting the NDP had an early lead, a new Mainstreet Research poll released on Saturday suggests Penneris in adead heat with Meili.

• Latest poll puts NDP and Sask. Party in dead heat for Saskatoon Meewasin byelection

The poll results suggest Penner has garnered 45 per cent of support and Meili with 44, among decided or leaning voters. A random sample of this size would yield a margin of error of plus or minus 4.71 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Three other candidates are vying for the Saskatoon Meewasin seat:

• Shawn Setyo of the Green Party of Saskatchewan.
• Darrin Lamoureux of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party.
• David Prokopchuk of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Setyo and Lamoureux are the leaders of their respective parties.

The candidates also laid outtheir positions on Saskatchewan's biggest issues in a five-part series published by CBC Saskatoon last week.

• Part 1: Candidates weigh in on racism in Sask.
• Part 2: Candidates talk federal carbon tax
• Part 3: Candidates on regulating legalized marijuana
• Part 4:Candidates on First Nations revenue sharing
• Part 5: Candidates share their 1 big idea