Saskatchewan’s legislature spent 75 tense minutes on Thursday sparring over a Sask NDP motion aimed at shutting down any debate of Saskatchewan’s independence.Sask NDP MLA Aleana Young asked the legislature to stop any discussion of Saskatchewan’s future outside of Canada.“The fact that we even have to discuss anti-Canada separatism speaks volumes,” said Young. “Premier Moe had two opportunities this week to shut down talk of separation and he didn’t. Saskatchewan people deserve better than vague answers when the unity and future of the country is on the line.”.Young warned that even musing about a referendum would help President Donald Trump, who has floated absorbing Canada as America’s fifty-first state. “A referendum or even just talk of separation is exactly what Donald Trump wants so he can pick us off one by one,” said Young.Young accused Premier Scott Moe of following Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s lead on the Sovereignty Act, a provincial police force, and a stand-alone tax agency. Young also brought up Moe’s appearance at a conference with Reform Party founder Preston Manning, who recently wrote that Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney could go down in history as “the last prime minister of a united Canada.”.“To the west of us, we see Premier Smith saber-rattling about separatism and making it easier to force a referendum,” said Young. “You can have frustrations with your neighbours that doesn’t mean you break up the country.”“The NDP is presenting a false choice between separation and the status quo,” said Moe. “I’m not interested in separation, but I’m also not interested in the status quo of Saskatchewan being mistreated by the federal government, with the full support of the NDP. In the federal election, Saskatchewan people voted for change and I will be working on behalf of Saskatchewan to achieve that change.”.No government member signalled during the exchange whether the Saskatchewan Party will ultimately back or reject the motion.The motion, which calls on the legislature to affirm that Saskatchewan “will always remain part of Canada,” did not come to a vote before the allotted debate time expired.
