In the dying days of the spring session, the Saskatchewan NDP introduced five private member’s bills aimed at improving government transparency and party financing.“In Saskatchewan, there’s no cap on donations, corporate and union donations flow freely, and the Sask. Party even allows political donations from outside Canada,” said Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck. “Saskatchewan people deserve a government that works for them.”After Question Period Wednesday, Official Opposition Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway tabled the following bills:Bill No. 617 — The Members’ Conflict of Interest Amendment Act will, if passed, strengthen the Act and make provincial politicians disclose the business interests of their spouses and relatives that are held in private companies and/or holding companies.Bill No. 618 — The Lobbyists Transparency Amendment Act will, if passed, close lobbying loopholes and require lobbyists to file monthly activity logs containing information about the dates, participants, particulars, and methods of communication for all lobbying activity, as well as monetary political contributions made within the month.Bill No. 619 — The Election (Fairness and Accountability) Amendment Act will, if passed, ban out-of-province, corporate, and union donations to Saskatchewan political parties and set a yearly total donation limit of $1,275 for Saskatchewan residents.Bill No. 620 — The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Amendment Act will, if passed, make the Saskatchewan government more transparent, including by speeding up and making FOI requests financially accessible, and strengthening the powers of the Privacy Commissioner to force public bodies to release documents.Bill No. 621 — The Child and Family Services (Betty’s Law) Amendment Act will, if passed, require the minister responsible to preserve all records relating to indigenous children in residential schools, and make these records more accessible for public inquiries relating to the child’s safety, truth and reconciliation, and the pursuit of answers about deceased relatives in care or Indigenous people’s grievances.On the floor of the legislature, Justice Minister Brownyn Eyre called the bill a "stunt" given its timing. The bills were introduced the second last day of session, giving them no chance of passage.Conway said government contracts given to companies represented by former finance minister-turned-lobbyist Kevin Doherty revealed to her the shortcomings in the current lobbyist registry. There was none prior to 2017 when it was introduced by the Sask Party government under Premier Brad Wall."As opposition we're holding this government accountable. We're asking tough questions. Certainly in the case of Mr. Doherty, we still haven't heard a clear answer on who Mr. Doherty met with about what what, and that is why the changes that I've introduced under the lobbyist Act would simplify that," she said.Conway said some of the bills had been introduced previously. She said she was very conscientious about the wording of the bills and that they gave a clear representation of what the NDP would do if it formed government after the provincial election in October.
In the dying days of the spring session, the Saskatchewan NDP introduced five private member’s bills aimed at improving government transparency and party financing.“In Saskatchewan, there’s no cap on donations, corporate and union donations flow freely, and the Sask. Party even allows political donations from outside Canada,” said Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck. “Saskatchewan people deserve a government that works for them.”After Question Period Wednesday, Official Opposition Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway tabled the following bills:Bill No. 617 — The Members’ Conflict of Interest Amendment Act will, if passed, strengthen the Act and make provincial politicians disclose the business interests of their spouses and relatives that are held in private companies and/or holding companies.Bill No. 618 — The Lobbyists Transparency Amendment Act will, if passed, close lobbying loopholes and require lobbyists to file monthly activity logs containing information about the dates, participants, particulars, and methods of communication for all lobbying activity, as well as monetary political contributions made within the month.Bill No. 619 — The Election (Fairness and Accountability) Amendment Act will, if passed, ban out-of-province, corporate, and union donations to Saskatchewan political parties and set a yearly total donation limit of $1,275 for Saskatchewan residents.Bill No. 620 — The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Amendment Act will, if passed, make the Saskatchewan government more transparent, including by speeding up and making FOI requests financially accessible, and strengthening the powers of the Privacy Commissioner to force public bodies to release documents.Bill No. 621 — The Child and Family Services (Betty’s Law) Amendment Act will, if passed, require the minister responsible to preserve all records relating to indigenous children in residential schools, and make these records more accessible for public inquiries relating to the child’s safety, truth and reconciliation, and the pursuit of answers about deceased relatives in care or Indigenous people’s grievances.On the floor of the legislature, Justice Minister Brownyn Eyre called the bill a "stunt" given its timing. The bills were introduced the second last day of session, giving them no chance of passage.Conway said government contracts given to companies represented by former finance minister-turned-lobbyist Kevin Doherty revealed to her the shortcomings in the current lobbyist registry. There was none prior to 2017 when it was introduced by the Sask Party government under Premier Brad Wall."As opposition we're holding this government accountable. We're asking tough questions. Certainly in the case of Mr. Doherty, we still haven't heard a clear answer on who Mr. Doherty met with about what what, and that is why the changes that I've introduced under the lobbyist Act would simplify that," she said.Conway said some of the bills had been introduced previously. She said she was very conscientious about the wording of the bills and that they gave a clear representation of what the NDP would do if it formed government after the provincial election in October.
