A Saskatchewan minister has apologized for nominating a man for a public service medal when that man was facing criminal charges for domestic assault.
“I apologize to not only victims and survivors, but to all those who work every day to provide a future free of domestic abuse,” David Marit, minister of agriculture, said in a statement Tuesday morning.
He said it is not appropriate for someone who is guilty of domestic abuse to receive a medal or an honour from the province.
A Global News investigation showed Marit nominated Jim Wickett for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal after Wickett had been charged with assaulting his wife and possessing a firearm without a license.
Global News contacted government officials to arrange an interview with Marit last week. That request gave several days for the minister to respond and included a list of detailed questions.
Marit and officials did not respond by deadline. Government communication officials cc’ed Global News’ request on an email with the protocol office, which processes medal nominations. Global News had already reached out to the protocol office asking for comment.
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The minister issued his apology Tuesday morning after Global News published the story.
Marit’s statement said he became aware of Wickett’s criminal history last week.
“To be clear, I would never have nominated someone for such an honour had I known,” the statement read.
Court records show Wickett was charged on June 2, 2022, in Rosetown, Sask.
Internal government emails show Marit nominated Wickett on Oct. 26, 2022 – the same day convicted wife killer Colin Thatcher attended the speech from the throne by invitation of another Sask Party MLA – and that he was awarded the medal on Dec. 13, 2022.
On Feb. 9, 2023, Wickett pleaded guilty to assault.
He was sentenced to nine months of probation, to attend domestic violence and anger management programming, to not contact his wife and to not possess a firearm or ammunition.
His probation order states that he will not receive a conviction, meaning he will not have a criminal record if he abides by all conditions of his conditional release.
Saskatchewan’s rate of intimate partner violence was more than double the national average and the highest of any province in 2021, the latest year for which Statistics Canada data is available.
An advocate for ending violence against women said Wickett’s nomination by an elected official sends the wrong message.
“When there is a blind spot around an issue like gender-based violence that the elected officials are repeatedly tripping over, it tells me that these individuals and perhaps this government in particular needs to do some soul searching,” Jo-Anne Dusel said.
Dusel is the executive director of the Provincial Association of Transitional Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS), a network of organizations including women’s shelters to help survivors of intimate partner violence.
In response to questions from Global News about the medal and an interview, Wickett replied, “In light of the personal issues that I have experienced, and regret, and in order not to cause a distraction for those who nominated me for the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, I have made the decision to return it.”
He made no attempt to answer any other questions.
Global News confirmed Wickett returned the medal.
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