At least four Saskatchewan Party cabinet ministers will see their careers end this fall.Donna Harpauer, Don McMorris, Dustin Duncan and Gord Wyant announced on February 6 they will not run in the next provincial election, set to take place on or before October 28 2024.McMorris and Harpauer were among the first Saskatchewan Party MLAs elected in 1999. Combined, the four have 80 years of experience as provincial legislators.In a written statement on February 6, Premier Scott Moe said the departing MLAs will be hard to replace.“But every government and every party needs renewal and I respect the decision that Donna, Don, Dustin and Gord all made — that it’s time for renewal in their constituencies and for a new chapter in each of their lives,” Moe said.“I want to thank Donna, Don, Dustin and Gord for their service and commitment to their constituents and our province, for all their hard work and for their friendship.”Harpauer (Humboldt-Watrous) is deputy premier, minister of finance and chair of the Treasury Board. Her previous portfolios include minister of social services, education, Crown investments, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and Sask Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA). In January, Moe posted to social media that Harpauer was “the longest-serving female cabinet minister ever in Canada at either the federal or provincial level." She has been a cabinet minister since 2007.Last November, Harpauer projected a $250-million deficit in 2023/24 due to higher expenses from summer drought and deflated resource revenues. The province had initially forecast a surplus of more than $1 billion.Duncan (Weyburn-Big Muddy) is the minister responsible for all major Crown corporations, including SaskPower, SaskEnergy, SaskTel, SGI and SaskWater, minister of Crown Investments Corporation, Public Service Commission and SLGA. He has also served as minister of education, health and minister responsible for the Global Transportation Hub.As minister of education, Duncan shut planned parenthood out of Saskatchewan schools and announced a policy where pronouns could not be changed for teens under 16 without parental consent.As minister for SaskEnergy, Duncan stopped collecting the federal carbon tax on home heating bills. If SaskEnergy does not remit the tax by the end of this month, they will be in violation of federal law.McMorris, (Indian Head-Milestone) is minister of government relations, labour relations and workplace safety, First Nations, Métis and northern affairs, the Provincial Capital Commission and the Workers’ Compensation Board. He was previously deputy premier and minister of health.McMorris, whose sons Mark and Craig gained fame as competitive snowboarders, sat briefly as an independent after pleading guilty to driving over the legal alcohol limit in 2016.In 2020, McMorris returned to cabinet, saying, “I wish it never had of happened. It did. I can’t change that. I can only go forward and be the best person I can be, and that’s what I’ve been working on over the last four years.”Wyant (Saskatoon Northwest), the minister of advanced education, was previously the deputy premier, minister of justice and attorney general, minister of education and minister responsible for SaskBuilds and Priority Saskatchewan.The lawyer represented Ward 5 in Saskatoon from 2003 to 2010 until winning his seat in a 2010 by-election. He placed fourth in the leadership race to replace Brad Wall in 2018, which was won by Scott Moe.Wall also expressed warm sentiments to the departing MLAs on Twitter ("X").
At least four Saskatchewan Party cabinet ministers will see their careers end this fall.Donna Harpauer, Don McMorris, Dustin Duncan and Gord Wyant announced on February 6 they will not run in the next provincial election, set to take place on or before October 28 2024.McMorris and Harpauer were among the first Saskatchewan Party MLAs elected in 1999. Combined, the four have 80 years of experience as provincial legislators.In a written statement on February 6, Premier Scott Moe said the departing MLAs will be hard to replace.“But every government and every party needs renewal and I respect the decision that Donna, Don, Dustin and Gord all made — that it’s time for renewal in their constituencies and for a new chapter in each of their lives,” Moe said.“I want to thank Donna, Don, Dustin and Gord for their service and commitment to their constituents and our province, for all their hard work and for their friendship.”Harpauer (Humboldt-Watrous) is deputy premier, minister of finance and chair of the Treasury Board. Her previous portfolios include minister of social services, education, Crown investments, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) and Sask Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA). In January, Moe posted to social media that Harpauer was “the longest-serving female cabinet minister ever in Canada at either the federal or provincial level." She has been a cabinet minister since 2007.Last November, Harpauer projected a $250-million deficit in 2023/24 due to higher expenses from summer drought and deflated resource revenues. The province had initially forecast a surplus of more than $1 billion.Duncan (Weyburn-Big Muddy) is the minister responsible for all major Crown corporations, including SaskPower, SaskEnergy, SaskTel, SGI and SaskWater, minister of Crown Investments Corporation, Public Service Commission and SLGA. He has also served as minister of education, health and minister responsible for the Global Transportation Hub.As minister of education, Duncan shut planned parenthood out of Saskatchewan schools and announced a policy where pronouns could not be changed for teens under 16 without parental consent.As minister for SaskEnergy, Duncan stopped collecting the federal carbon tax on home heating bills. If SaskEnergy does not remit the tax by the end of this month, they will be in violation of federal law.McMorris, (Indian Head-Milestone) is minister of government relations, labour relations and workplace safety, First Nations, Métis and northern affairs, the Provincial Capital Commission and the Workers’ Compensation Board. He was previously deputy premier and minister of health.McMorris, whose sons Mark and Craig gained fame as competitive snowboarders, sat briefly as an independent after pleading guilty to driving over the legal alcohol limit in 2016.In 2020, McMorris returned to cabinet, saying, “I wish it never had of happened. It did. I can’t change that. I can only go forward and be the best person I can be, and that’s what I’ve been working on over the last four years.”Wyant (Saskatoon Northwest), the minister of advanced education, was previously the deputy premier, minister of justice and attorney general, minister of education and minister responsible for SaskBuilds and Priority Saskatchewan.The lawyer represented Ward 5 in Saskatoon from 2003 to 2010 until winning his seat in a 2010 by-election. He placed fourth in the leadership race to replace Brad Wall in 2018, which was won by Scott Moe.Wall also expressed warm sentiments to the departing MLAs on Twitter ("X").
