Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Nadine Wilson is accused of assault by the wife of her late father. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

family dispute goes public

MLA Wilson accused of assault in family dispute

Jun 21, 2019 | 9:39 AM

Long-serving Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Nadine Wilson has been accused of assault as a private family matter involving the financial affairs of her late father goes very public. Wilson has not commented on the accusations and the Saskatchewan Party says it’s a private matter that does not impact her position.

Lorraine Kingsley Helbig, 87, who was married to Wilson’s father Walter Helbig for 20 years, claims Wilson burst into her Saskatoon apartment in March 21 and assaulted her. She alleges Wilson also hit her 61-year-old son when he showed up. She claims Wilson had arrived demanding to see her 90-year-old father Walter, who had dementia.

She was hitting him and kicking him _{– Lorraine Kingsley Helbig}

“She just forced her way through the door and I held it as long as I could,” Kingsley Helbig told paNOW. “She scratched me down my neck and chest and pushed me against the dining room table and hurt my right arm.”

Kingsley Helbig phoned her son Eric Hocknes, 61, who lives nearby and claims when he arrived Wilson “went after him as well.”

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“She was hitting him and kicking him and he was just holding his hands out because Eric would never hit a woman,” she said.

Lorraine Kingsley Helbig, 87, pictured with her husband Walter Helbig who died in April. She claims she and her son were assaulted by MLA Nadine Wilson. (submitted photo/Catherine Heinz)

Kingsley Helbig called the police but said Wilson left by the time they arrived.

I thought for the 25 years I knew her, that we were good friends _{– Lorraine Kingsley Helbig}

Catherine Heinz, Kingsley Helbig’s daughter, was visiting at the time but was out of the apartment when the alleged incident happened. She claims police later told them that Wilson had already made a report that she had been assaulted by her mother and Hocknes.

“That switched things to just the police coming to the apartment to them having to do an investigation,” Heinz said.

Kingsley Helbig said she and her husband went down to the police station about a week after the incident for an interview, which was very stressful, especially for Walter, given his condition. He died five weeks after the incident April 30.

She said she had no idea why Wilson behaved the way she did that day but claimed their relationship deteriorated once Wilson took over her husband’s financial affairs by a Power Of Attorney. She claims Wilson took full control of their finances and life became very difficult.

“I thought for the 25 years I knew her, that we were good friends; we’d go blueberry picking together, birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries,” she said recalling their relationship.

Call for changes to Power of Attorney

Kingsley Helbig said she wants changes to the Power Of Attorney regulations claiming the process left her without any access to her husband’s bank account and that left them to live on her own modest pension and savings.

“People need an easier exit [than this],” she said. “I know there are many, many seniors who didn’t go to school as long as I did so they don’t know what avenue to take to begin with. And they don’t have children to help like I do.”

Police confirm investigation

The Saskatoon Police Service confirmed they responded to an assault complaint.

“We can confirm we are investigating a complaint of an assault that occurred on March 21, 2019,” a statement from the police service said in an email to CKOM. “The file is currently being investigated and is with prosecutors for an opinion. We cannot provide any further comment.”

paNOW reached out to Wilson for comment but she did not respond. Her personal lawyer was unavailable for comment.

In an email to paNOW the Saskatchewan Party said:

“As this is a private family matter and does not relate to Ms. Wilson’s responsibilities as an MLA, any questions regarding this matter should be referred to her personal lawyer.

As this personal matter does not relate to her role as an MLA, Ms. Wilson’s status in caucus has not changed.”

No charges have been laid and the allegations have not been tested in court.

—

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow