TIMELINE OF SASKATCHEWAN’S 14th PREMIER
Brad Wall, the province’s 14th premier, is husband to Tami and father of Colter, Faith and Megan. Hailing from Swift Current, the University of Saskatchewan alumnus holds an honours degree in Public Administration and a certificate in Political Studies 1965: Born in Swift Current, on Nov. 24
1991: Is unsuccessful in a bid for the Progressive Conservative nomination for Swift Current
1999: Elected as an MLA for Swift Current
2003: Re-elected as an MLA for Swift Current
2004: Becomes leader of the official opposition party, taking over from Elwin Hermanson
2007: Elected premier of Saskatchewan in the provincial election, ushering in period of economic growth and prosperity on the back of rising resource prices
2007: Newly elected Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall takes his oath and is sworn in at the legislative chamber at the Saskatchwan Legislature
2008: He is forced to apologize in April after 1991 video footage emerges of him imitating Ukrainians and mocking Roy Romanow, former leader of the NDP
2009: His government oversees a provincial debt drop to $7.9 billion, down from 2008’s $10.5 billion. The province’s population reaches a 10-year high of 1.023 million. In April, he denies he wants to eventually lead the federal Conservatives or, indeed, the nation
2010: In April, Wall hosts the premiers of Alberta and B.C. as the New West Partnership Trade Agreement is inked, with the aims of breaking down trade and investment barriers
APRIL 30, 2010: British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall and Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach complete a half day of trilateral meetings at Government House with the signing of the New West Partnership Agreement
2010: A big win for Wall as BHP Billiton’s attempted $38.6-billion hostile takeover of Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan is deemed by Ottawa not to provide a “net benefit” to the country. The attempt is shelved by year’s end, with the Business News Network honouring Wall as Canadian Newsmaker of the Year
FEB. 1, 2011: The CLS Distribution Centre, Global Transportation Hub south of Dewdney Avenue on Fleming Road in the city’s west end is officially opened. The one million square-foot structure is only partially open, with the rest of the building coming on stream when staffing levels are reached by the end of the year
2011: He is re-elected with 64 per cent of the popular vote, and in
March beats out Danny Williams of Newfoundland and Labrador as the nation’s most popular premier
2011: Heavy flooding in Estevan, Radville, Yellow Grass and elsewhere sees a state of emergency declared and residents evacuated. Disaster assistance programs are put into effect
JUNE 20, 2011: Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall and Saskatchewan environment minister Dustin Duncan tour Weyburn to discuss flooding.
2012: The construction west of Regina of the $200 million Global Transportation Hub, considered at the time by Wall as “one of Saskatchewan’s most important economic development initiatives,” continues apace, with Canadian Logistics Services announcing Phase 3. The GTH will be plagued in later years by questions over land deals
2014: Ratings agency Moody’s, in September, grants a highly-sought AAA credit rating to the province
2015: Wall writes to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to urge a halt to the plan to re-settle some 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada by year’s end.
2016: With a personal approval rating still highest in the nation, he is re-elected with 62 per cent of the popular vote. It marks the first time since 1925 that a party other than the NDP or the CCF has claimed a third consecutive majority mandate
2017: In a long-running spat over the federal insistence on a cap-and-trade system or a carbon tax from 2018, he duels once more with Ottawa over its move to limit the $2-billion Low Carbon Economy Fund to provinces signed up to a national climate change blueprint
2017: In March the government’s 2017-18 budget is attacked by advocacy groups
2017: The province’s credit rating is dropped in June by Standard & Poor’s, from AA+ to AA
2017: As Wall’s popularity wanes, he announces on Aug. 10 that he will soon be stepping aside as premier