Saskatchewan town stands by its senator
Most Wadena residents loath to judge Wallin until RCMP finishes its probe into travel expense claim scandal
WADENA, SASK.— For the people of Wadena, it’s the scandal that won’t go away. With a forensic examination of Pamela Wallin’s expenses now referred to the RCMP, many residents of the town, population1,300, are still supportive of their senator. “It’s kicking someone while they are down,” said resident Mac McCann. Many others are hesitant to say anything. “I can’t say too much,” said one. In other corners, however, the support for the golden girl who put Wadena on the map may be starting to wane. In “Roses and Raspberries,” a column in the local Wadena News, where readers are encouraged to submit their thoughts, town council is asked why it hasn’t changed the name of Pamela Wallin Dr. “Raspberries to our community for not having yet changed the street name Pamela Wallin Drive and had the sign Pamela Wallin Drive removed. Maybe the town should consider renaming the street a (sic) placing a new sign there,” the submission said. Bob Norris, another resident of Wallin’s hometown, said the scandal has him asking bigger questions about government waste. “All of the senators should be checked into because it is all our tax money being wasted,” said Norris. “She’s never done me any harm,” he added, referring to Wallin. “But it’s our tax money that is being wasted.” Mostly, residents are watching and waiting — and wondering when it will all be over. At the local Wadena museum, where autographed copies of Wallin’s book, Since You Asked, are marked down to half-price, Louise Yakowec acknowledged opinion was divided, but said most people were reluctant to pass judgment until the case was resolved.
“There is a division but people are waiting to hear what’s going to happen first. They are not going to say anything until the RCMP report is out,” said Yakowec, who works at the museum.
“It’s too easy to tar somebody and say that they are guilty without knowing all the facts.”
McCann said any talk about taking down the street sign was overblown.
“There are a lot of people from all over the world who have done a lot of worse things and they still have things named after them,” she said.
McCann, a British veteran who moved to the area four years ago, met Wallin after joining the Canadian Legion, and said he had personally seen the senator during town events such as Remembrance Day. “She’s done a lot of work for this town. I say leave it as it is.”
In the meantime, deputy mayor Ashley Kolach said Wadena was not looking into removing or altering the sign honouring Wallin at this time.
“There was a letter to the editor in the newspaper but it has never been brought forth to the council,” he said.