Today was Randy Weeke's last day in the Sask. Legislature. He took the opportunity to speak his mind. (screen shot/Sask. Legistlature video)

By Susan McNeil

Randy Weekes exit from Legislature

Weekes says Harrison brought gun into Leg, details harassment on final day

May 16, 2024 | 4:59 PM

In his last minutes as Speaker in the Saskatchewan Legislature, Biggar-Sask. Valley MLA Randy Weekes decided to talk about harassment and bullying from the government, primarily from Meadow Lake MLA Jeremy Harrison who is also House Leader.

That was just hours after he cut up his Sask. Party membership card and posted it to social media.

Weekes posted this photo this morning. (screenshot/X)

“When I became Speaker, the intimidating and harassing text messages began immediately trying to influence my rulings,” said Weekes.

“My experience with the Government House leader in the Chambers includes threatening gestures whenever I ruled against him during session, he would start yelling at me and stand up and flash his suit jacket and storm out.”

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Weekes claimed that he has hundreds of texts from Harrison and several other MLAs trying to influence his rulings.

The Speaker is required to be non-partisan in his rulings.

He said he heard frequently that the government caucus was discussing his removal as Speaker.

It is not the first time Weekes has complained about MLAs texting him to dispute his rulings.

In April, Sask. Party MLA and Minister of Finance Donna Harpauer (Humboldt-Watrous) apologized in the Legislature after Weekes read out loud texts she had sent him.

After that was made public, Weekes said that Harrison stopped messaging him directly but began messaging his clerk.

At the same time, he says Lori Carr, MLA for Estevan, began sneding harassing texts and intensified her efforts during the special sitting for the emergency debates on the parental rights legislation that eliminated the ability of trans youth under 16 to choose their pronouns or their preferred name in school.

Weekes said that on October 19, Carr texted him again in an attempt to direct the discussion and he got up and handed the chair to the deputy speaker.

As he was walking to his office, Reg Downs, a senior advisor to Moe, lunged at him.

“This is not the first time I was threatened like this. Another MLA rushed me at a party function and came very close to head butting me,” he stated.

He did not name that MLA but said that his issues with Harrison were persistent and that the Meadow Lake MLA continuously showed signs of inappropriate behaviour.

“He expects his staff to go to his home, pick up his clothes. He has trouble keeping staff. There’s a revolving door of staff coming and going,” said Weekes.

“But more disturbing is his obsession with guns and his use of intimidation, both verbally and physically.”

He had issues with Harrison’s attempts to carry a gun into the Legislature and cited an incident in which Harrison did bring a hunting rifle into the building.

Weekes said Harrison owns a lot of guns, including a 223 AR style, four shot clip light weight, which looks like an assault rifle.

Over the course of the sitting, Weekes said that Harrison became more extreme in his reactions when he was ruled against.

“As the gestures and the behaviour became more aggressive, I worried that he might be carrying a handgun,” he said.

“My concerns over his mental stability and his obsession with guns was only confirmed when he heckled after the passing the motion to devolve all relevant parts of the Firearms Act to the province. He twice yelled open carry, open carry, next.”

Weeke’s current riding was dissolved in a boundary redrawing. He was not successful in his attempt to gain the nomination for the new Kindersley-Biggar riding.

He said he now has an opportunity to be part of international electoral observations around the world.

“But first, before I travel thousands of miles to support democracies facing challenges worldwide in recent decades with the resurgence of populism and the increase in popularity of leaders with autocratic tendencies, I’m going to carry out the remainder of my term as speaker right here in Saskatchewan, championing the electoral process and continue being the custodian of this institution and defend and protect our democracy.”

Speaking to media after the assembly was done, Premier Scott Moe dismissed much of Weekes’ comments.

“We have a majority in there. If we wanted him removed, he would be removed as Speaker,” he said.

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

He also said he has never heard of a gun being brought into the Legislature.

When asked to respond by meadowlakeNOW staff, Harrison issued a brief statement.

“The accusations made are completely and unequivocally false.”

—

susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com