Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Brenda Bakken said Tuesday the Saskatchewan Party executive council faced a very difficult decision when it voted Saturday to cancel the nomination of Grant Schmidt in the new riding of Melville-Saltcoats.

The 60-member executive council, made up of a representative from each of the constituency associations in the province, voted to overturn Schmidt's March 3 nomination. Schmidt was a controversial cabinet minister in the government of former Conservative premier Grant Devine.

"The council made a decision based on the best interests of the party," said Bakken. "Sometimes the leaders have to make tough decisions based on the big picture."

Voters will have to make their own decision about the choice executive council made, said Bakken. Time will tell if it affects other candidates for the populist Saskatchewan Party, she said.

Bakken was nominated in July.

"It won't keep me from being re-elected and I don't believe the election will be based on Grant Schmidt's nomination, nor should it be. The people here want a change in government. They want to get rid of the NDP and see the Saskatchewan Party grow the province," she said.

Bakken said she was not involved in the executive council decision. "It was their decision to make and that was the end of it. The media want to make it into something it isn't."

She said she won't fight the issue in the media. "There's no advantage to anyone in getting into a debate about Schmidt." The choice was a no-win situation, with very strong opinions on both sides, she said.

Bakken said the council had no option but to deal with Schmidt's nomination after five of its members asked for a review. The party's constitution requires the council to hold a meeting and vote on the issue if five or more members request it, she said. Party leader Elwin Hermanson is quoted as saying more than 75 per cent of the council's 60 members voted in favour of cancelling Schmidt's nomination.

Under the party's constitution, Schmidt has the option to appeal the executive council decision within the next two weeks.