'Puppet show' text leads to apology, dismissal in unprecedented moment in Sask. assembly
CBC
The Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly played host to an unprecedented chain of events this week when the Speaker read a private text he'd received from Saskatchewan's deputy premier, leading to the ejection of another high-ranking member.
Speaker Randy Weekes rose to his feet after question period Monday, cellphone in hand, and read the contents of a text message sent by Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Donna Harpauer.
"I have as speaker received literally hundreds and hundreds of text messages from the government House leader [Jeremy Harrison], the deputy government House leader [Lori Carr], and occasionally from the minister of finance," Weekes said.
"I'd just like to read into the record what the minister of finance just sent me. 'Randy, if you can blame, lie, and tarnish reputations of elected and unelected individuals with innuendos but no proof, we have no avenue to push back. This assembly has become a joke and a stage for an Opposition puppet show. Disappointing.'"
Weekes said if Harpauer wanted to raise a point of order on something that was said, she could "get on your feet."
He asked Harpauer to withdraw and apologize for the text, "and any others that you may feel inclined to send me off the record."
Harpauer stood and apologized.
Moments later, House leader Jeremy Harrison made a comment that caught Weekes's attention.
"I ask the government House leader to stand and withdraw and apologize for that comment too. I'm not deaf," Weekes said.
"I'm not," Harrison said, before storming out of the assembly.
Harrison and Weekes had already had a tense exchange the previous week. On April 8. Weekes called on Harrison to apologize after he said, "Deloitte doesn't lie." Harrison withdrew and apologized, but did not fully stand to do so.
"Stand up please, don't slouch," Weekes said, drawing gasps in the assembly. "You've disrespected the institution, stand up."
Harrison stood and apologized a second time, both men sounding and looking annoyed at the other.
The irony of the whole chain of events was that before question period began on Monday, Weekes ruled on a previous point of order raised by Carr the week prior, in which Opposition Leader Carla Beck said, "Saskatchewan people expect their leaders to be honest and forthright."
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
A suspended Moncton structural engineer faces more lawsuits alleging design flaws in buildings that require repair.
Sajjade Tugano has come a long way since he first set foot in Chibougamau, six hours north of Quebec City, in the depths of winter in November 2021.
A national mentor-based hockey organization that helps marginalized youth through the sport is paying tribute to one of its members and youngest coaches.
After months of asking the City of Saskatoon to do more to solve its homelessness crisis, advocate David Fineday took to the stand at city council Tuesday.
A community organization wants to breathe new life into a historic building in Regina.
Some Prince County residents are walking away with more answers after attending Tuesday night's public information session in Albany, P.E.I., on the Wejipek Wind Project.
After just a few months of using vape detectors in a couple of bathrooms, a B.C. high school principal says it's reduced vape use in those areas to basically zero.
Burlington MP Karina Gould gets boost from local young people after entering Liberal leadership race
A day after entering the Liberal leadership race, Burlington, Ont., MP and government House leader Karina Gould was cheered at a campaign launch party by local residents — including young people expressing hope the 37-year-old politician will represent their voices.
Anold Mulaisho was born intersex and wonders where they fit in, in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order for the United States to recognize only two sexes, male and female.
WARNING: This story contains references to suicide.
Subway service is down on Line 1 between Sheppard West and Lawrence West due to a broken power rail, the TTC said Wednesday morning.
A long-term care home in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood has cleared one more hurdle to add desperately needed beds to its property, a move that's been praised by housing advocates but opposed by locals concerned about the impact on the neighbourhood.
A Charlottetown resident is calling on the P.E.I. government to do more to protect homeowners after reading about a recent oil spill very similar to one on his Montague property 20 years ago, which he says ruined him financially.
WARNING: This story includes details of abuse.
Two years after Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly declared she was taking the unprecedented step of moving to confiscate millions of dollars from a sanctioned Russian oligarch with assets in Canada, the government has not actually begun the court process to forfeit the money, let alone to hand it over to Ukrainian reconstruction — and it may never happen.
Alberta business and oilpatch leaders are returning home from Washington this week after the U.S. presidential inauguration festivities — and gritting their teeth after a roller-coaster of emotions.
Youth workers in Toronto's Jane and Finch area are flipping the script on negative stereotypes about their communities with a new fundraising campaign that offers anti-bias training in exchange for donations to bolster their programming.
In a sudden move that came late Tuesday evening, city officials rolled out cots and temporarily opened a warm building in east London as frigid temperatures continued.