Premier Scott Moe has dismissed allegations against his party by Speaker Randy Weekes involving intimidation and guns as "sour grapes" following a defeat in a Sask. Party nomination race last December.In the closing of the spring legislative session, Weekes complained that Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison had an "obsession with guns" and a pattern of "intimidation both verbally and physically."Weekes also alleged that Harrison "flaunted the rules concerning weapons when he brought a hunting rifle into the Legislative Building." Weekes found it "particularly disturbing" that Harrison allegedly sought permission to carry a handgun into the building.Moe told reporters he was as "shocked as anyone" to hear Weekes' comments, which he said came from a "sore loser.""If there are true concerns there, they've just developed since he lost the nomination. And he's never talked to me about it. And so I, at this point, I can't attribute it to anything more than just sour grapes that he wasn't successful in the nomination, because up until December 14, he wanted to be part of Minister Harrison's caucus.Weekes won six elections as a Sask Party candidate in Biggar-Sask Valley, starting in 1999, but lost the nomination in Kindersley-Biggar five months ago. Moe said the allegations by the 25-year MLA had "no basis.""He was actively trying to run to be a part of this party. And now, he's trying to run away from it. So, that's unfortunate."When Moe was asked what steps he would take following the allegations, he said, "I don't think a whole big bunch, to be honest. Would I have a conversation with Minister Harrison? ... Sure."Weekes also complained that Deputy House Leader Lori Carr had sent him texts during debate on the Parental Rights Bill last October, asking the speaker to ensure the opposition kept their discussion focused on the bill. That premise seemed fine to Moe."I don't think that's out of line. In the operation of the assembly, people are supposed to stay on the bill. It's the speaker's job to do so," Moe said.Moe suggested Weekes was wrong to say the party wanted him out of the Speaker's chair."We have a majority in government. If we wanted to remove him as Speaker, he'd have been removed as Speaker," Moe said.Throughout the spring session, Weekes cautioned members for unparliamentary remarks and sometimes made members apologize and withdraw their comments. The premier said it was important to keep discussion about policy, not people."Is there a deterioration in tone in the lead up to an election? Possibly? Is there work for all of us to do, whether it be myself as leader of the party or the leader of the opposition, the people that we work with? Certainly," Moe said.However, Moe also suggested the Speaker himself should have addressed matters differently."It seems like he's airing some laundry that he might think is dirty or shaping it in a way that he might think is problematic for government or for Minister Harrison, someone he might have an issue with," Moe said."But, I am disappointed that-- if you truly have those concerns, then why wouldn't you go talk to the leader of the party? If I had concerns like that, I wouldn't be airing them on the floor of the assembly."Opposition Leader and NDP MLA Carla Beck told reporters that Weekes' account of Harrison was "very disturbing.""These are very, very serious allegations, not only in terms of integrity, but also safety. In this building, I did hear the minister from his seat after the unanimous vote on the gun control bill, shout twice, 'Open carry, open carry,'" Beck recalled."This behavior is not fitting for someone in a role as serious as the one he has."Beck said Moe was too quick to dismiss Weekes' comments and that a House leader should not try to "undermine" or "bully" a speaker's decisions."The fact that the Premier's first instinct was to talk about sour grapes ... is a sign of weak leadership," she said."Frankly, this is a premier who has lost control of his caucus, it would appear."
