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The criticism of the Saskatchewan speaker's resignation suggests that the characteristics of unity and discipline within the governing party are weakening.
Published on May 24, 2024 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 3 min read
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Former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, left, and Premier Scott Moe share a laugh during the unveiling of the former premier's official portrait at Parliament Hill in Regina, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. Photo by Troy Freese/Regina Leader-Post.
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From the rise of the Reform Party and the Canadian Alliance to conservatism's roots in Alberta's oil industry, conservatives often look to Alberta as a model of political success.
It's no secret that the Saskatchewan Party has looked to Alberta to build and maintain Conservative dominance. In virtually every respect, from tax policy to regulatory policy to pro-oil policy to Ottawa-bashing, the Party has sought to emulate the conservative politics of its western neighbour.
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But one aspect of Alberta politics the Saskatchewan Party has sought to avoid replicating is the bitter internal conflict that has always divided and polarised the province's conservative movement.
The Saskatchewan Party's raison d'être has been to rally the province's divided conservative vote against the NDP, so it has been especially wary of any sign of a challenge to its dominance.
Indeed, one of the reasons for the Saskatchewan Party's success since 2007 has been its ability to maintain a broad conservative coalition in the province.
How important this coalition is to the party's electoral success is constantly demonstrated by its efforts to maintain the party's large support base without alienating more moderate conservatives while appeasing former right-wing challengers like the Buffalo Party and the Saskatchewan United Party.
But perhaps the bigger concern is the possibility of the Saskatchewan caucus splitting apart, just as it did when the Wildrose Party was born and when Jason Kenney was ousted as leader of the United Conservative Party in Alberta.
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Party discipline in the Saskatchewan Party is strict: dissent is rarely heard and those who do, like Nadine Wilson, are summarily expelled.
But the spectacle of Speaker Randy Weeks denouncing harassment and intimidation by his party on his final day in Congress may be a sign that intraparty divisions exist more than we have been led to believe.
Mr Weeks' comments could be dismissed as sour grapes, as the premier described them, but they come as the party faces an intensifying nomination battle against the incumbent and sees a wave of former state MPs defecting ahead of the next election.
Given how tightly controlled and directed most political parties are, we rarely get a glimpse into what really goes on behind the scenes. In this respect, Weeks' comments to Parliament are unprecedented. We can only speculate what it means for the unity of the Saskatchewan Caucus.
But in our view, Weeks’ declaration speaks to how conservatism has changed in Saskatchewan over the past 17 years.
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Weeks' accusations of bullying and harassment from former colleagues accelerated during the so-called emergency session that crafted Bill 137, which many see as a needlessly cruel attack on LGBTQ2S+ children.
Certainly, there is no reason to think there is a Jason Kenney-esque attempt at a palace coup against party leader Scott Moe, nor does there seem to be any appetite from current party members to defect to other right-wing parties.
Indeed, the resignation of the SUP's parliamentary leader just months before the election may mark the end of the party's influence.
But the simplest explanation for the current form of conservatism in government may be that Leader Scott Moe is trying to strengthen his own control over the party by ousting members he deems insufficiently loyal or ideologically in tune with the more aggressively conservative Saskatchewan Party.
This may be what Weeks was referring to when he called Bill 137 “unnecessary” and said the party had moved too far to the right.
Whatever may be going on behind the scenes, this is certainly not the kind of party discipline expected ahead of what could be the most competitive state election in more than a decade.
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Simon Enoch is director of the Saskatchewan office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Charles Smith is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan.
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