Saskatchewan Minute: Issue 79

Saskatchewan Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Saskatchewan politics.

📅 This Week In Saskatchewan: 📅

• The Saskatchewan government is asking the Supreme Court of Canada to fast-track its appeal of a ruling that allowed a legal challenge to its school pronoun law to proceed. The law, introduced in 2023, requires parental consent for children under 16 who want to change their names or pronouns at school, and was passed using the Charter’s notwithstanding clause. A Court of Appeal decision last month found that the challenge could continue, ruling that courts still have the authority to declare whether such a law violates Charter rights even when the clause is invoked. Saskatchewan argues the case raises fundamental constitutional questions and should be heard alongside Quebec’s religious symbols law, which also relies on the notwithstanding clause. Lawyers for UR Pride, the Regina-based 2SLGBTQ+ group challenging the pronoun law, say they too will seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court and support having the cases heard together. They argue the law causes serious harm to gender-diverse students, while the Province insists it ensures parental involvement. Meanwhile, Alberta has signalled it may use the notwithstanding clause in upcoming legislation on pronouns, sports participation, and gender-affirming care.
  
  
• Premier Scott Moe made an unannounced visit to Denare Beach on Friday, months after a wildfire destroyed about half of the community and left many residents frustrated with the province’s response. Local councillor Karen Thomson said residents were surprised to see Moe, as only cabinet ministers had been expected, and while they appreciated his presence, many felt it came far too late. Thomson raised concerns about mental health supports and financial help for rebuilding, as well as the absence of the premier during the summer crisis. Residents have long criticized the government for delays in fighting the fire, pointing to grounded water bombers and limited equipment during peak wildfire season. Moe’s office said the visit was an opportunity to hear directly from residents, while stressing that ministers had been engaged throughout the summer. During the meeting, Moe also encouraged the community to join the FireSmart program to strengthen wildfire preparedness, though no formal commitments or funding were announced.
  
  
• Saskatchewan Party members on the legislature’s public accounts committee voted down an NDP motion to expand the auditor’s probe into the province’s wildfire plane problems. The Opposition had asked for a review into why four water bombers were grounded during June’s devastating wildfires and for a broader look at procurement, though the auditor is already examining the $187 million purchase of four new aircraft amid allegations the province overpaid by $100 million. NDP MLA Hugh Gordon argued residents deserve accountability after the fires destroyed half of Denare Beach and forced thousands to flee. Premier Scott Moe’s office said it supports the auditor’s current review, while the Public Safety Agency maintains crews were dispatched quickly and supports have been offered to evacuees. Meanwhile, BC-based Coulson Aircrane is challenging the plane contract in court, alleging the government failed to run a fair competition.
  
  
• First Nations leaders in Saskatchewan are demanding accountability from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations after a forensic audit flagged $34 million in questionable spending. The audit, commissioned by Indigenous Services Canada and conducted by KPMG, found that $23.5 million of $30 million in COVID-19 funding was spent in ways that could not be justified, alongside other concerns about travel, administration fees, and hiring practices. Chiefs and councillors at a news conference in Saskatoon accused FSIN leadership of ignoring the audit’s findings, calling for immediate reforms and greater transparency. Some leaders suggested the RCMP may need to investigate, while others highlighted how women and youth raising earlier concerns were sidelined, stressing that the scandal damages credibility and undermines trust in Indigenous governance.
  
  
• Saskatchewan’s firearms commissioner, Robert Freberg, has raised serious concerns about the federal government’s planned “assault-style” firearms buyback program, which begins as a pilot in Nova Scotia on October 1st. Freberg criticized the program as poorly designed, underfunded, and unlikely to reduce crime, noting that many firearms on the banned list are valuable collector’s items or used for hunting by law-abiding owners, particularly Indigenous and Métis communities. He highlighted issues with compensation, enforcement, and the risk of non-compliance, pointing out that police forces lack the resources to manage nationwide collection. Freberg also stressed that Canada does not have a problem with law-abiding gun owners and that the government’s focus on banning these firearms diverts attention from actual gun crime, which rarely involves legally owned guns. He warned that the program could mirror past prohibitions, like those on alcohol and marijuana, where strict enforcement failed and eventual legalization was required. 

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