Wall sets ambitious agenda for final months in office
Province to use notwithstanding clause over Catholic school funding
Brad Wall’s final days in office were saluted with a speech from the throne that touched on the outgoing premier’s key political issues and positioned him to be the first Saskatchewan premier in three decades to invoke the notwithstanding clause.
Through the speech, delivered Wednesday by Lt.-Gov. Vaughn Solomon Schofield, Wall made official plans to invoke the notwithstanding clause in response to a recent court decision on funding for Catholic schools.
A Court of Queen’s Bench decision from April ruled that governments should not be allowed to give funding to Catholic schools for non-Catholic students. The Saskatchewan Catholic School Boards Association is appealing the decision, putting any changes on hold — likely for several years while the court process plays out.
But Wall said invoking the notwithstanding clause in the coming months — which will effectively wipe out the court’s decision — is a “proactive way” of protecting school choice in the province “notwithstanding what happens in the court process.”
NDP interim leader Nicole Sarauer said “we need to let that process happen” before considering using something as serious as the notwithstanding clause, noting it is a “tool in the toolbox” but one that should be considered down the line rather than now.
Using the clause is a right of the provinces, but one which they rarely use. Wall would become the second premier in Saskatchewan’s history to invoke it.
A key topic for Wall in recent years, the government once again signalled plans to continue pushing back against the Liberal’s plan to invoke a carbon tax.
The outgoing premier is, however, preparing to introduce legislation related to the Liberal plan to legalize non-medical use of marijuana. The throne speech indicated his government will introduce a law to govern the sale and distribution of the product, despite concerns over the time being permitted by the feds to do so.
Wall has also shown over the years a willingness to pick a fight with a government of a different political stripe. That, too, was on display in the throne speech’s announcement that his government will consider retaliating against Alberta’s NDP government over an ongoing, beer-related trade war.
An independent panel found Alberta violated a trade agreement when it introduced a rebate program for local brewers. But the Notley NDP government is appealing that decision, prompting Wall to consider the retaliatory measures, which he says are “separate from any political considerations.”
“We’ve been pretty clear that we’re going to defend the province’s interests with respect to trade issues,” said Wall, adding Alberta’s decision to appeal “behoves us as a province to respond as well.”
Another trademark of Wall’s government has been his ability to pull back on disliked policies. In announcing plans to revoke the section of a recently passed, but unpopular law allowing for up to 49 per cent of a Crown corporation to be sold, Wall is doing just that.
Well aware a leadership race to choose his successor will be ongoing as these laws are introduced, Wall said most of what is being done was borne out of campaign promises or was decided on “by consensus of caucus.”
“Some of these other decisions down the road need to be a part of the leadership contest debate, but also they will rest with a brand new government that will be sworn in in February,” said Wall, who will step down as premier on Jan. 27.
Sarauer said the Throne speech is “more about serving the premier’s legacy, protecting the premier’s legacy, than it is about serving Saskatchewan people.”