On the campaign trail in Regina Wednesday, Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe disclosed to media an impaired driving charge from 1994 that was previously unreleased by his campaign.
Moe says in 1994, when he was 20 years old, he was charged with impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident in Shellbrook, Sask.
While both charges were dropped by the Crown, Moe admitted he was drinking earlier that day, prior to being involved in the accident.
“I exchanged information with the other owner of the vehicle, and I called in the accident with the police,” Moe said. “Because the charges were withdrawn, the incident has not been part of my public disclosure.
“I’m innocent.”
When asked if he’d been drinking that day, Moe said he had but maintained his innocence. He added that a breathalyzer test not was administered in the 1994 charge.
Moe, who is running for re-election in the Oct. 26 provincial election, said he disclosed the unknown charge to get ahead of other “institutions” that may have this information.
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“We have been aware of politically motivated organizations that are reaching out,” Moe said. “I expect this to be made public, and if it is made public it should be me who provides it to the province.”
The Saskatchewan Party campaign has previously disclosed one other charge of Moe’s and a ticket for driving without due care and attention.
In 1992, Moe was convicted of impaired driving, and in 1997 he was involved in a fatal two-vehicle collision that killed the other driver, Joanne Balog.
Earlier this week, the woman’s son, Steve Balog, says he discovered the driver responsible for his mother’s death was the province’s leader. Prior to this week, Balog says he didn’t know who was behind the wheel of the other vehicle in the crash that claimed his mother’s life.
Moe said once the campaign is over, he will reach out to the Balog family to issue an apology, one that’s been missing for over 20 years.
“I think it’s important it happens in a meaningful way, and the politically charged atmosphere, the politically charged environments of a campaign is not an appropriate time for this discussion to occur,” Moe said.
He added this has been deeply personal for him and that he’s reached out to members of his family in recent days.
“Once you reach out to your family, you discuss with them things in your past when you were 18, early 20s. And you quite frankly ask them not to pay attention to the media, and not pay attention to social media at this time,” Moe said.
“These are parts of who I am. I have never hidden from my past. I’ve spoken about it freely. This is a part of who Scott Moe is, this is part of the decisions I make daily. This is not who I am. This is part of who I was.”
Moe concluded Wednesday’s announcement by stating he will not discuss the fatal collision going forward in the campaign.
With a file from the Canadian Press.
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