Frustrations run high in dwindling days of the legislative session

Proceedings in the Legislative Assembly were short two MLAs by the end of the day on Wednesday after they were kicked out during the proceedings.

Emotions were running high as things moved into Question Period when NDP MLA Doyle Vermette stood to ask his question about families who’ve lost someone to suicide and the blocking of his pitch on Tuesday to start a bipartisan committee on mental health and suicide. As he spoke, Vermette’s voice wavered with frustration.

“(Family members) wanted the premier to stand. Why didn’t you just tell them yesterday you didn’t care about them?” Vermette asked.

He went on to ask Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Everett Hindley: “Why don’t you just tell the truth and say you don’t give a (expletive) about anyone?”

That was followed by a lot of shouting on all sides and Vermette leaving the assembly briefly. He was eventually asked to withdraw his comments and apologize but refused.

“Families are feeling (the government) is failing and it’s failing them. I couldn’t withdraw my comments because it’s what I feel in my heart,” Vermette said later.

“The families have not been treated well by this government. This government should be very ashamed of themselves right now, the way they have dealt with this crisis when it comes to mental health and addictions and suicide.”

Vermette said he has never felt more frustrated trying to do this work.

Independent MLA Nadine Wilson was also kicked out of the house. It was unclear exactly what Wilson said while heckling was happening from all sides – including directed at her — but she was singled out by the Speaker and asked to withdraw and apologize three times, and when she didn’t, she was suspended for the day.

“I guess I got a bit passionate and I’ve had enough of poor governance and I would like to see good governance for the people,” Wilson said afterward.

Wilson said in a nutshell that she was talking in the house about wanting to see the province unified rather than “discriminated, torn apart and divided.”

Premier Scott Moe didn’t have anything good to say about Wilson, even suggesting that she should step away from the seat she won as a Saskatchewan Party candidate and run as an independent.

“It’s time for her to put her name before her constituents if she wants to sit in here and she feels she has the support to be an independent member speaking on their behalf in the house,” said Moe.

Both Moe and NDP Leader Ryan Meili admit things have been heated in the house, but Moe said it was coming from all sides.

“This is a place to debate policy, not personalities. And I think it would do everyone good to just pause for a moment and remember that,” said Moe.

The premier said the leaders on the government side need to set the example and he contends they have, but Moe also said their efforts haven’t been without blemish.

Meili, on the other hand, puts the responsibility for the current rhetoric on the government side, saying there are 47 Sask. Party MLAs and only a dozen on the NDP side.

“The folks who set the tone are the folks who outnumber us by a great amount. Yes, we have to punch harder, yell louder, do anything to be heard or seen at all with that sort of imbalance and I won’t apologize for that,” said Meili.

Both Vermette and Wilson are to be back for the last day of the session on Thursday.