Weekes lambastes MLA on way out as Speaker, makes 'disturbing' allegations (2024)

Ahead of his final day as Speaker of the legislative assembly, Randy Weekes posted a photo on social media showing his Saskatchewan Party membership card cut in half.

“Enough is enough,” read the post.

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In his closing remarks Thursday, Weekes thanked the pages and staff of the assembly before reading the oath he swore when he accepted the role as Speaker, which was to maintain objectivity, impartiality and to “leave behind all political, partisan biases.”

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Hands shaking as he read off several sheets of paper, he then went on to allege that as soon as he became Speaker, Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison started texting him “intimidating and harassing” messages “trying to influence” his rulings.

Weekes said Harrison “bragged that he could get the Speaker to rule in any way that he wanted,” and alleges Harrison had a “disturbing obsession with guns” and sought permission “to carry a handgun in the legislative assembly.”

He also alleged that Harrison brought a “hunting rifle into the legislative building.”

“I carried out my duties despite the behaviour of government leadership,” said Weekes in his farewell.

As Weekes spoke, Harrison shook his head.

“That’s an absolute bullsh*t ruling, completely wrong,” said Weekes, quoting a text he said Harrison sent to him following a ruling he issued on March 22, 2023. Weekes also said that on two occasions government staffers lunged at him and one MLA nearly “head-butted” him at a function.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve,” the Speaker said of his six terms as an MLA.

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Before Weekes made his statement, Premier Scott Moe briefly thanked Weekes for his service as Speaker in his own end-of-session speech.

Outside the chamber afterward, the premier said he felt this was “sour grapes” from Weekes, adding he was “shocked” to hear the Speaker’s allegations.

“Most of this occurred, allegedly occurred, before December 14” when Weekes was still running in a nomination for the Sask. Party, noted Moe.

Weekes lost the nomination race for the Kindersley-Biggar constituency in December of last year.

Moe called the alleged attempts to influence the Speaker and his rulings “nothing more than third-party hearsay” and said the allegations came as news to him when Weekes took to his feet on Thursday morning. The premier said Weekes has not spoken with him at all about his concerns, adding he would have appreciated a conversation before now.

“Until Dec. 14, he was actively trying to run to be a part of this party, and now he’s trying to run away from it,” said Moe.

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As for the allegations made regarding a firearm, Moe said, “I don’t know why someone would bring a gun into the legislature” unless it was “part of a presentation,” adding he’s never heard of Harrison bringing a gun into the building. Moe called Harrison a strong leader that knew the rules of the assembly as well as anyone in Canada.

As of Thursday afternoon, Moe said he had not spoken with Harrison about the allegations, adding he doesn’t know “what substance there is to them.”

Harrison did not speak with reporters following the end of session.

Opposition Leader Carla Beck also thanked Weekes in her closing remarks on Thursday morning, gratitude that was met with light applause from members of the government caucus.

“I know this has been challenging, but it is important and I want to thank you for your leadership,” Beck said to him.

Later, Beck called the allegations “very disturbing.”

“I hope that the premier is going to look into these very serious allegations,” she said, adding that she wants to hear Harrison’s answer to the allegations, which are matters of “integrity, but also safety” in the legislature.

Beck then spoke to the allegations that Harrison frequently sought to influence or undercut Weekes’ rulings, stating that “to undermine those decisions or to try to influence or bully those decisions” is “deeply concerning,” not only to herself but to the Saskatchewan people.

alsalloum@postmedia.com

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