As the NDP push for an investigation into Jeremy Harrison and the major allegations made against him by the Speaker, the Sask. Party government is pushing back.
In a meeting of the House Services Committee Monday, Opposition New Democrat member Vicki Mowat proposed a motion that would summon senior Saskatchewan Party leaders, including Premier Scott Moe, to the committee.
The NDP want a full investigation, saying the facts of Harrison’s story keep changing, but Saskatchewan Party members on the committee amended the motion to hand the issue off to a separate process set up by legislature.
The decision was made rather quickly with little debate as the Sask. Party holds a majority of the spots on the committee.
Jeremy Harrison, who holds two cabinet posts in Moe’s government, has said he brought a rifle into the legislature about 10 years ago.
“Our position within government has been very clear in this from the start. As far as allegations about harassment and bullying, there’s proper processes to follow here,” Saskatchewan minister of energy and resources Jim Reiter said.
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Legislative Speaker Randy Weekes originally came forward with allegations surrounding harassment and bullying from Harrison.
The Sask. Party continues to say Weekes needs to go through the harassment process available to all employees of the legislature. Something that doesn’t sit right with the NDP.
“The harassment process is a confidential process and so I don’t think they want the findings of that to see the light of day,” opposition member Meara Conway said. “They want to move on from this. They don’t want transparency around this.”
Conway went on to say the process wouldn’t investigate Harrison brining a gun to the legislature.
Daniel Westlake, a political scientist at the University of Saskatchewan believes calling for an investigation through the House Services Committee was the right call.
“Part of the role of legislative is to hold the executive to account,” Westlake “The executive being cabinet in this case is acting in a way that could be effecting the way that a legislature is being run and the ability of the speaker to not just do his job but be perceived as doing his job fairly.”
Westlake said it makes sense the government doesn’t want this to be investigated through committee because it’s not an issue they want to have as they enter an election.
“Unfortunately, when governments have majorities on committees, it can be very easy for them to shut down investigations that they don’t want to happen or to investigate and make it difficult for investigations to go forward,” Westlake said.
But even if there was an investigation, Westlake doesn’t believe it would affect their standings when it comes to maintaining power.
As for the NDP, they are looking at what else can be done to get some answers. However, Westlake said there aren’t many other options.
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