Wilson and SUP creating chaos for Sask. Party
In the northwest corner of the legislative assembly pound three headaches for Premier Scott Moe — two being of slight discomfort, and the third being an all-out migraine.
They are the legislature's three independent MLAS — all of whom are former Saskatchewan Party caucus members who “resigned” for various offences over the last three years.
The seat belonging to Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Greg Lawrence has sat empty this entire spring sitting, as he deals with yet-to-be-proven-in-court allegations of assault. More politically problematic for Moe is that it might clear the path for NDP inroads outside Regina or Saskatoon in former NDP premier Lorne Calvert's old seat.
The next seat belongs to Cut Knife-turtleford MLA Ryan Domotor, who remains persona non grata in Saskatchewan politics, even after his charges of last December for sexual solicitation were stayed by Crown prosecutors. However, come the fall election, it seems likely former Sask. Party president James Thorsteinson will simply retain that seat for the party.
However, the third seat belongs to Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Nadine Wilson, who now leads the Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) and has been a pulsating noggin-throbber for Moe of late.
Consider the recent chaos Wilson and Sask. United have caused.
During her routine assault in question period on Thursday, Wilson said it was highly concerning that Moe and his government were unaware that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was moving the Regina-headquartered Farm Credit Canada (FCC) out of Saskatchewan to Quebec.
Certainly, this would be alarming ... were it true.
“To be absolutely clear, FCC is not moving its head office from Regina,” FCC said a statement provided to the Leader-post's Alec Salloum within hours of Wilson raising the issue.
But notwithstanding FCC'S denial, Moe was still forced to respond to “rumours.” Fabricated rumour or not, Wilson's comments set the news agenda, while emptying Aspirin bottles at the legislature.
The story received more attention than the more legitimate issue raised by NDP agriculture critic Trent Wotherspoon that Viterra Canada may be taken over by Bunge Ltd. — a move that would not only affect jobs in Regina but also farm input costs.
It's not very often that the NDP has raised any agricultural issues — let alone one that most farmers would agree is a real problem that the Sask. Party government should address.
It was also the second straight week in which Wilson created such chaos.
Last week, she goaded Crown Investments Corp. (CIC) Minister Dustin Duncan into saying the government isn't about to stop shovelling coal for electrical generation any time soon. This came as his government was about to launch a small nuke offence by touting small modular reactors.
In no small irony, this SUP headache has been brought on by bad rules the Sask. Party refuses to change.
And it might not go away any time soon.
While neither Domotor nor Lawrence poses much of a threat, Nadine and the SUP have resources to do so.
As first reported by The Canadian Press, the 2023 Elections Saskatchewan fiscal returns show the Sask. Party raised $3.6 million from donors last year while the NDP, typically, raised less than half ($1.4 million).
But, intriguingly, the SUP raked in more than $500,000 — $200,000 of which came from a company associated with Lumsden-morse byelection candidate Jon Hromek.
This should be alarming. Hromek's unsuccessful bid for a byelection seat was all about the Lumsden sex education incident. Now, third parties have been banned from teaching sex education in schools and we have Bill 137.
Given the magnitude of this donation, does the Sask. Party government not need to take a hard, serious look at how large donors might have undue influence on the democratic process?
In the interim, however, Moe and the Sask. Party have inadvertently created a safe haven for a cash-flush rival right-wing party. It's left them with a dilemma.
Sask. United is not going away. And it surely has the resources and wherewithal to cause Moe headaches for some time yet.