The Sask Party has blocked NDP motions to transparently investigate allegations of guns, bullying and harassment in the Legislature.On May 16, Speaker Randy Weekes alleged that then-Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison brought a long gun into the legislature, sought permission to bring a handgun, and had tried to pressure him and two previous speakers in their handling of debates.On Monday morning, Opposition House Leader Vicki Mowat introduced three motions to the House Services Committee seeking an open investigation of the allegations. If passed as tabled, her first motion would have allowed committee members to question Premier Scott Moe, former Government House Leader, Jeremy Harrison, Deputy House Leader Lori Carr, and Moe's adviser Reg Downs.Weekes recused himself from chairing the meeting, leaving deputy chair NDP MLA Nicole Saurauer to handle proceedings. Sask Party members used their majority to rewrite the motion that would have had the committee investigate.A revision, introduced by MLA Paul Merriman, deleted some of Mowat's motion to add, "notes in 2017, government and opposition members worked together to develop and pass a legislative assembly anti-harassment policy. This policy spells out a clear process for reporting resolving allegations of harassment. It includes an investigation process and provision to engage an independent outside investigator if necessary, that this process is designed to be fair and impartial, respecting the rights of both the complainant and the respondent."This is the process that should be followed by any member of the Legislative Assembly who wish to make a harassment complaint as amendments."Moe initially called the Speaker’s allegations “unequivocally false," based, he said, on Harrison's recollection. Later Harrison admitted to bringing a long gun with him into the legislature on one occasion, instead of leaving it in his vehicle. He resigned as House Leader.Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway told the committee a confidential investigation would not adequately answer "serious" concerns by the public."It is ill-suited to get answers about the long gun incident. It is ill-suited to getting answers about the changing story. And it is ill-suited for getting at allegations of harassment by Reg Downs," she said."This has now become an issue of public record. The public is aware of this, the public wants answers. And it's disappointing to see this amendment moved, which appears to be an attempt to block a larger investigation."A second motion by Mowat would have seen the committee appoint an independent investigator to carry out an investigation into all of the allegations made by the Speaker on May 16. A third motion would have had an independent investigator look into the allegation that Harrison brought a long gun to the Legislative Building.The Sask Party voted down the motions, which dissatisfied Mowat.“It’s disappointing that Premier Moe has instructed his MLAs to run interference for Jeremy Harrison,” she said.Conway wrote the firearms officer to ask if Harrison had requested permission to carry a hand gun to the legislature as Weekes had alleged. In a press conference following the committee meeting, she said the reply she received stated such matters were confidential.Conway says she still wants to know who knew what, when, and if the long gun incident Harrison admitted to was the only occasion this had occurred.“Either the Premier lied or his minister lied. It can be both but it can’t be neither,” said Conway.“After 17 years, this tired and out-of-touch government can’t be trusted to do the right thing and hold themselves accountable with a full investigation.”After committee, MLA Jim Reiter talked to reporters. He said although some aspects of the gun allegations were outside of Weekes' allegations of intimidation and bullying, they were not for the government to look into."If there's concerns about that, that's that's up to the law enforcement to look at. And law enforcement had an opportunity. At that time security did not view it as necessary to follow up. That's my understanding," Reiter said."But even today, if law enforcement want to look at that, they certainly could. We don't think it's position of politicians to direct law enforcement."
The Sask Party has blocked NDP motions to transparently investigate allegations of guns, bullying and harassment in the Legislature.On May 16, Speaker Randy Weekes alleged that then-Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison brought a long gun into the legislature, sought permission to bring a handgun, and had tried to pressure him and two previous speakers in their handling of debates.On Monday morning, Opposition House Leader Vicki Mowat introduced three motions to the House Services Committee seeking an open investigation of the allegations. If passed as tabled, her first motion would have allowed committee members to question Premier Scott Moe, former Government House Leader, Jeremy Harrison, Deputy House Leader Lori Carr, and Moe's adviser Reg Downs.Weekes recused himself from chairing the meeting, leaving deputy chair NDP MLA Nicole Saurauer to handle proceedings. Sask Party members used their majority to rewrite the motion that would have had the committee investigate.A revision, introduced by MLA Paul Merriman, deleted some of Mowat's motion to add, "notes in 2017, government and opposition members worked together to develop and pass a legislative assembly anti-harassment policy. This policy spells out a clear process for reporting resolving allegations of harassment. It includes an investigation process and provision to engage an independent outside investigator if necessary, that this process is designed to be fair and impartial, respecting the rights of both the complainant and the respondent."This is the process that should be followed by any member of the Legislative Assembly who wish to make a harassment complaint as amendments."Moe initially called the Speaker’s allegations “unequivocally false," based, he said, on Harrison's recollection. Later Harrison admitted to bringing a long gun with him into the legislature on one occasion, instead of leaving it in his vehicle. He resigned as House Leader.Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway told the committee a confidential investigation would not adequately answer "serious" concerns by the public."It is ill-suited to get answers about the long gun incident. It is ill-suited to getting answers about the changing story. And it is ill-suited for getting at allegations of harassment by Reg Downs," she said."This has now become an issue of public record. The public is aware of this, the public wants answers. And it's disappointing to see this amendment moved, which appears to be an attempt to block a larger investigation."A second motion by Mowat would have seen the committee appoint an independent investigator to carry out an investigation into all of the allegations made by the Speaker on May 16. A third motion would have had an independent investigator look into the allegation that Harrison brought a long gun to the Legislative Building.The Sask Party voted down the motions, which dissatisfied Mowat.“It’s disappointing that Premier Moe has instructed his MLAs to run interference for Jeremy Harrison,” she said.Conway wrote the firearms officer to ask if Harrison had requested permission to carry a hand gun to the legislature as Weekes had alleged. In a press conference following the committee meeting, she said the reply she received stated such matters were confidential.Conway says she still wants to know who knew what, when, and if the long gun incident Harrison admitted to was the only occasion this had occurred.“Either the Premier lied or his minister lied. It can be both but it can’t be neither,” said Conway.“After 17 years, this tired and out-of-touch government can’t be trusted to do the right thing and hold themselves accountable with a full investigation.”After committee, MLA Jim Reiter talked to reporters. He said although some aspects of the gun allegations were outside of Weekes' allegations of intimidation and bullying, they were not for the government to look into."If there's concerns about that, that's that's up to the law enforcement to look at. And law enforcement had an opportunity. At that time security did not view it as necessary to follow up. That's my understanding," Reiter said."But even today, if law enforcement want to look at that, they certainly could. We don't think it's position of politicians to direct law enforcement."
