Government House leader Jeremy Harrison and the Sask Party are very concerned about the rise of anti-semitism in Saskatchewan and the Sask NDP saying that the slogan “from the river to the sea” can have multiple meanings.“I am deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitism. We're seeing it every day across this country in a way that we have not seen it before,” said Harrison. “This government is deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitism and what we are seeing across the country, around the world, and here in our own jurisdiction and right here in this chamber. And we take that very seriously." "That is why I put on the record some very straightforward comments about what shocked me yesterday [Thursday] in the Privileges committee, which was Meara Conway coming in and defending the use of ‘the river to the sea.’”At the committee meeting, NDP MLA Conway said the slogan can be experienced differently depending on who is using the slogan. Harrison disagreed.“And in addition to that contextualizing and saying, ‘Well, maybe Jewish people experienced that phrase differently.’ That is not acceptable,” said Harrison.“And that is why we made very clear, our view that Meara Conway, and by extension, Nicole Sarauer said that was the position of their entire caucus. The entire Saskatchewan NDP condoning, defending and contextualizing the use of ‘the river to the sea.’ That is racist, that is hateful. And that calls for the extermination of Israel and the Jewish people. That is what that phrase means.”Harrison called the November 20 protest that shut down the legislature a “riot.”“What I saw was a riot,” said Harrison.“I'm glad the [Israel] flag’s up there and we put the flag up there for a reason. To show our support for Israel, which was viciously attacked on October 7. People murdered in their homes, in their beds.”"This is what this is about. And we had people in here who were rioting, absolutely using ‘river to the sea’ being chanted on the steps of the place here. That is a phrase that calls for the destruction of Israel. There is no question about that.”“The chamber was shut down because the speaker called grave disorder, which has not happened as long as I have been here and I'm told has rarely happened in the history of the assembly.”
Government House leader Jeremy Harrison and the Sask Party are very concerned about the rise of anti-semitism in Saskatchewan and the Sask NDP saying that the slogan “from the river to the sea” can have multiple meanings.“I am deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitism. We're seeing it every day across this country in a way that we have not seen it before,” said Harrison. “This government is deeply concerned about the rise of antisemitism and what we are seeing across the country, around the world, and here in our own jurisdiction and right here in this chamber. And we take that very seriously." "That is why I put on the record some very straightforward comments about what shocked me yesterday [Thursday] in the Privileges committee, which was Meara Conway coming in and defending the use of ‘the river to the sea.’”At the committee meeting, NDP MLA Conway said the slogan can be experienced differently depending on who is using the slogan. Harrison disagreed.“And in addition to that contextualizing and saying, ‘Well, maybe Jewish people experienced that phrase differently.’ That is not acceptable,” said Harrison.“And that is why we made very clear, our view that Meara Conway, and by extension, Nicole Sarauer said that was the position of their entire caucus. The entire Saskatchewan NDP condoning, defending and contextualizing the use of ‘the river to the sea.’ That is racist, that is hateful. And that calls for the extermination of Israel and the Jewish people. That is what that phrase means.”Harrison called the November 20 protest that shut down the legislature a “riot.”“What I saw was a riot,” said Harrison.“I'm glad the [Israel] flag’s up there and we put the flag up there for a reason. To show our support for Israel, which was viciously attacked on October 7. People murdered in their homes, in their beds.”"This is what this is about. And we had people in here who were rioting, absolutely using ‘river to the sea’ being chanted on the steps of the place here. That is a phrase that calls for the destruction of Israel. There is no question about that.”“The chamber was shut down because the speaker called grave disorder, which has not happened as long as I have been here and I'm told has rarely happened in the history of the assembly.”