REGINA - The blame game was on at the Saskatchewan Legislature Tuesday in the wake of a pro-Palestine protest that disrupted Monday afternoon’s proceedings in the Assembly.
The Assembly had to halt Question Period and recess for about 40 minutes Monday after spectators in the gallery erupted in a chant of "ceasefire now", calling for a ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.
On Tuesday, those events were still on the minds of many MLAs, with government members pointing the finger at NDP members alleging they were actively involved. Most accusations seemed to focus on the alleged activities of the MLA for Saskatoon University, Jennifer Bowes.
On Monday, Bowes had introduced the pro-Palestine delegations in the gallery, and was also seen standing in solidarity with the protesters as they chanted “ceasefire now” and left the gallery.
The allegations were raised during a heated Question Period Tuesday. Opposition Leader Carla Beck began by attempting to shift focus back to the recent criminal charge against Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Ryan Domotor for soliciting sexual services for consideration. But Premier Scott Moe quickly put the NDP leader on the defensive, as recorded in Hansard.
Ms. Beck: — “Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Premier called the member for Cut Knife-Turtleford’s actions “disgusting and vile.” On that, Mr. Speaker, we can agree. He declared his decision to expel that member from caucus “a very strong statement.”
Mr. Speaker, StatsCan data released today show that women in this province face intimate partner violence at a rate well double the national average, the highest of all the provinces...
Does the Premier not understand the consistent failure to address this very serious issue is the strongest statement on this government’s stance on violence against women?”...
Hon. Mr. Moe: — “The Leader of the Opposition is correct. Yesterday, actually back to Friday, I had made a very strong statement with respect to a member of the Legislative Assembly. I believe, Mr. Speaker, and I quote, the words were, ‘We need to work together on the floor of this Assembly and as a government to support vulnerable women, not exploit them.’
Mr. Speaker, as leader you are faced with difficult decisions from time to time. And myself as leader, I made a difficult decision this past week. But it was very swift, had harsh consequences, and I would say that ultimately is necessary, Mr. Speaker.
I would say today the Leader of the Opposition is faced with an equally difficult decision, Mr. Speaker, with what we saw, unprecedented activity in this . . . shutting down, shutting down this Assembly for the first time in history to my awareness.
We’ve seen now, Mr. Speaker, the NDP which is a collection, a collection of extremist individuals. And so will the Leader of the Opposition actually look into extremist individuals in her party, Mr. Speaker, to ensure they had nothing to do with the unprecedented activity of yesterday?”...
Ms. Beck: — “Mr. Speaker, I understand that that Premier . . . Mr. Speaker, I understand that that Premier is in search of a defence for what his member was charged with, but that is honestly beyond the pale.
If it’s a strong statement you’re looking for, Mr. Speaker, last month every Sask Party MLA on that side voted to ban sexual assault prevention education in our kids’ schools. That includes the member for Cut Knife-Turtleford…
Does this Premier think this record is a strong enough statement on this government’s attitude towards consent?”...
Hon. Mr. Moe: — “Mr. Speaker, not once over the course of the last number of days did you hear me defend in any way the actions that were reported on and charged with respect to the member from Cut Knife-Turtleford last week, Mr. Speaker.
What we saw yesterday was unprecedented in this Assembly. In fact halting, halting, Mr. Speaker, the democratic process, halting the democratic process for the first time in the history of this province. And so my question, Mr. Speaker: is the Leader of the Opposition defending the extremist members in their caucus or is she going to root them out and make the difficult decision around the consequences that should be delivered?”...
Ms. Beck: — “Mr. Speaker, a sitting member of that government was caught in a human trafficking sting, and this is what we hear from this Premier...
What does the Premier have to say to Saskatchewan people, to Saskatchewan women who see this pattern of behaviour from that government and their terrible record on keeping women in this province safe?”...
Hon. Mr. Moe: — “As I indicated yesterday, there’s supports have been put in place and there’s going to be amendments to the human trafficking Act, Mr. Speaker, introduced very, very shortly on the floor of this Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to that, in addition to that, as leader we made a very difficult decision but a very harsh and swift decision regarding that member. Mr. Speaker, will the Leader of the Opposition, is she willing to do the same kind of hard work ensuring that none of her members were involved in shutting down democracy in the province of Saskatchewan? And if they were, will she meter out the same consequences?”
MLA for Saskatoon Fairview Vicki Mowat got a similar answer from Premier Moe when she posed questions about mammograms, and made clear her disbelief at the response.
Ms. Mowat: — “Mr. Speaker, for this Premier to equate criminal charges for sex trafficking with a disruption in democracy says everything we need to know about that government.”
Accusations also spilled over in a back-and-forth involving Social Services Critic Meara Conway, who tried to focus her attack on Regina Northeast MLA Gary Grewal over overbilling and conflict of interest allegations arising from a Social Services client staying at Sunrise Motel, which he owns.
Instead, Conway ended up in this exchange with Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison:
Ms. Conway: — “… I’m just going to slow down for a second and remind folks that we have a Premier who has just equated being charged criminally in a human trafficking ring with a peaceful disruption of this Legislative Assembly, not a month after the fact that this government, these defenders of democracy, invoked the notwithstanding clause to run roughshod over the rights of children and ignored a judge’s ruling in doing so.
And I understand why they are desperate to change the channel, Mr. Speaker, because of questions like the Sunrise Motel. So to the minister — I know he doesn’t want to talk about this — is he ready to table the information that I requested on the Sunrise Motel?”…
Hon. Mr. J. Harrison: — "Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The minister will I’m sure address that, the next question. I’m going to address the preamble.
What we saw here yesterday was an attack on democracy orchestrated by that member and at least one more member on that side, Mr. Speaker, who organized, who colluded with, and who participated, and who high-fived at the end of it.
This House was shut down for the first time in the history of this Assembly. We had to shut this Chamber down because of grave disorder, Mr. Speaker. That Leader of the Opposition condoned this, Mr. Speaker. What the Premier has challenged the Leader of the Opposition to do is take action and hold those members accountable. Will she do it?”…
Ms. Conway: — “Mr. Speaker, if the House Leader thinks that he can, by making base and unfounded personal accusations, he can deter me from doing my job, he is mistaken.”
At the end of Question Period, both the opposing House leaderships were calling for rulings from Speaker Randy Weekes on the behaviours seen in the Assembly that day. Government Deputy House Leader Lori Carr accused Bowes of having made “a very lewd gesture during question period. I will not describe this on the floor of the House but if you review the video, you will see it. Mr. Speaker.”
Opposition House Leader Nicole Sarauer countered by accusing Harrison of having “made a personal charge and accusation” against Conway. Harrison countered by saying the “member for Elphinstone made a very serious personal accusation against the member for Regina Northeast as well. Maybe she should withdraw and apologize also.”
Rulings are expected from the Speaker Wednesday.
Following Question Period, Premier Moe met with reporters and he doubled down on the accusations of NDP involvement in what transpired Monday.
He told reporters that “there is very obvious at least one member of the NDP caucus that was involved in sharing some of the social media posts in organizing the event yesterday…. The question we have for the Leader of the Opposition is one to be very straight and frank with the people of Saskatchewan. Is she confident that none of her members were involved in what equates to shutting down the government for the first time in the history of Saskatchewan.”
Moe added it “isn’t on me to prove this individual’s innocence. It’s on the leader of the Opposition,” saying the NDP leader should “conduct the necessary internal inquiry to ensure that none of their members were involved in what amounted to shutting down the government for the first time in history. It was a troublesome day yesterday.”
He characterized what happened as an “extremist” action and singled out Bowes, though not by name, for comments she made in a statement in the Legislature on Monday as she welcomed the group of pro-Palestine delegations to the Assembly.
Bowes said in the Assembly she would “urge the Saskatchewan government to look at what is happening in the conflict that has currently gotten to the point that it has reached a level of genocide.”
“The actions of Israel, equating them to genocide — those are the words of an extremist individual,” said Moe to reporters. “And the Leader of the Opposition has a responsibility to Saskatchewan people to ensure that none of her members in her caucus were part of shutting down the government in this province yesterday.”
When Beck spoke to reporters she insisted her party wasn’t involved in the protest.
“I can say with confidence that no member of our caucus had any part in orchestrating what happened yesterday,” she said.
Beck also accused the government of trying to change the channel on the recent controversies involving their own members. “I certainly understand why the Premier would want to be talking about anything other than the fact that one of his members' sitting MLA was caught up in a sex trafficking sting.”
Bowes also spoke to the media Tuesday, and she dismissed the government’s accusations against her.
“There have been a number of unfounded allegations that the government has made against both myself personally, and other members from the opposition, which I look forward to seeing the outcome of the process that will unfold, that we are restricted to in this place.”
Bowes did acknowledge there were members who had come from Saskatoon on Monday, and one of them was a member of a mosque in her riding, the Islamic Association of Saskatchewan, and she said she "encouraged him to show up. I thought it was very good that people took so much time to drive here, to take time off work, to pull their children from school to participate in their democracy in this place. I think it’s healthy and I think it’s a wonderful thing.”
Bowes also defended standing up in solidarity with the group on Monday. “I stand by that. They were expressing a great deal of hurt and anger, and I think there are reasons for being here are legitimate. I will always stand with the people of this province.”
But Bowes said she was “not aware of any planned actions if any… I was aware there that would be a lot of people, absolutely. But in terms of what people in whatever way they want to demonstrate, no.”
She also said that a scarf she was wearing Monday in the Assembly was also “a political gesture of solidarity with the people who came.”
Regarding social media posts, Bowes did admit to sharing a poster to her Instagram account advising that people would be coming to the Legislature. To her knowledge, there was nothing else.
As for her own use of the word “genocide”, Bowes responded that “it is my personal belief that what has happened right now will be found to constitute genocide. Of course, there is a legal process to determine whether a genocide occured or not, and I strongly hope that process will be undertaken swiftly.”
As a footnote to the events at the Legislature over the last two days, it was just hours later that reports came of a ceasefire and release of hostages between Israel and Hamas.
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