Sask NDP demands answers to Speaker's claim that House Leader Harrison brought a rifle to the leg

The Saskatchewan NDP is demanding answers to allegations made by Speaker Randy Weekes that House Leader Jeremy Harrison had once brought a rifle to the legislature and wanted permission to bring a handgun.Official Opposition Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway wrote to the Sergeant-at-Arms and the Legislative District Security Unit (LDSU) seeking answers. In a press release, Conway said the allegations demand answers.“There are so many unanswered questions about what the Speaker shared on the last day of the sitting. Jeremy Harrison could clear the air by facing the media, but instead he’s hiding from reporters. We’re trying to get the information Saskatchewan people are looking for,” she said.“A lot of people are rightly concerned that Premier Moe’s most trusted officials may have been more focused on bullying the Speaker than fixing the very serious problems keeping Saskatchewan people up at night. It’s one scandal after another. People are sick and tired of the Sask. Party soap opera.”Read more: Speaker burns bridges with Sask Party as session ends (May 17, 2024)Weekes made several allegations about the behaviour of the Government House Leader, suggesting he was the third speaker Harrison tried to bully."His desire to get permission to carry a handgun in the Legislative Assembly is particularly disturbing. Another incident reported by a former special constable was when the Government House Leader flaunted the rules concerning weapons when he brought a hunting rifle into the Legislative Building," Weekes said of Harrison.Weekes said he grew concerned about Harrison's "mental stability and his obsession with guns." Weekes recalled how after the Firearms Act was passed, Harrison "twice yelled, 'Open carry, open carry next.'".Premier Scott Moe called the allegations “unequivocally false” but has not made Harrison available to the media. Harrison was a no-show at numerous pre-scheduled public events in the last week.Weekes, a Sask Party MLA since 1999, cut his membership card and posted the picture to social media the evening of May 16, the day before he made his allegations at the final sitting of the spring session.Read more: Moe dismisses allegations by Speaker Weekes as 'sour grapes' by a 'sore loser'In her letters to Dani Herman, Director of the LDSU and Sergeant-at-Arms Lyall Frederiksen, Conway asked whether Harrison had requested permission to carry a handgun into the legislature, received such authorization, and also brought one. She also asked if the had ever brought a long gun into the assembly."Saskatchewan people are alarmed by these serious allegations and deserve to know the facts," she wrote."The presence of a firearm in the Legislative Assembly raises significant concerns for the safety and security of all members, staff, and visitors. The possibility that a high-ranking member of the government caucus risked their safety and the integrity of the Legislative Assembly is completely inappropriate and extremely alarming."Conway asked Chief Firearms Officer Robert Freberg if Harrison had ever requested an authorization to carry a handgun in the province, whether it had been granted, and on what basis."I'm certain your top priority is the safe and responsible use of guns in Saskatchewan. Bringing a handgun into the Legislative Assembly is neither. It is crucial that we ensure the security of all members and staff within the Legislature," Conway wrote."Thank you for your immediate attention to this critical issue. I look forward to your prompt response and to getting answers to these pressing questions."In comments to reporters, Conway said Harrison could have come forward and cleared the air, but has failed to do so."Moe's response has been nothing. The weakness in leadership that this demonstrates is outrageous. It feeds a sense of cynicism, I think, in the public. But it also reinforces the perception that the Sask Party government thinks that they don't need to answer to anyone, thinks that they can do whatever they want. And while Jeremy Harrison is missing an action, the premier is unwilling to take any."The Sask Party issued a statement on the issue which read: "We understand a member of the Opposition has written to several officials requesting that they look into the allegations about Minister Harrison made by the Speaker.""All of these officials will make their own decision whether to look into these matters and members of the government will cooperate as required."Letters from Conway are attached below.

Sask NDP demands answers to Speaker's claim that House Leader Harrison brought a rifle to the leg

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