Saskatchewan’s Trade and Export Development Minister has released a statement, following allegations from Speaker Randy Weekes on May 16th that he brought a gun into the Legislative Building. Jeremy Harrison has resigned as Government House Leader.

The Premier was asked about the allegations from this incident and about alleged harassment by Harrison against Weekes the next day, but he said Weekes told him the gun allegations were false. Yesterday (Thurs), the Official Opposition asked why Harrison hadn’t yet responded. He did so today (Fri).

Harrison’s statement says, “I have never had a firearm in the Legislative Chamber or anywhere in the Legislative Building during the period that MLA Weekes has been Speaker.” However, he added that about a decade ago on a weekend when he was going to be going hunting, he stopped at the Legislative Building for a short period of time and brought his properly cased long gun into the building, which security officials were aware of, because Harrison says he didn’t want to leave it unattended in his vehicle. In retrospect, he now believes he shouldn’t have done this.

Harrison apologizes for his lapse in judgement and for not advising the Premier of this incident immediately following the Speaker’s statement. The Premier has accepted his resignation as Government House Leader.

The Saskatchewan NDP is criticizing former Government House Leader Jeremy Harrison for his poor judgement as well his memory following his admittance to bringing a gun into the legislature.

On May 16th, Speaker Randy Weekes stated that Harrison had brought a gun into the Legislative Building. Premier Scott Moe claimed that he had a talk with Harrison and concluded that allegation was ‘unequivocally untrue’.

In his statement, Harrison apologizes for his lapse in judgement and for not advising the Premier of this incident immediately following the Speaker’s statement. NDP Leader Carla Beck says it should not have taken a week for him to remember the instance.

“If you’ve brought a gun into the Legislature, and were called out by the Speaker about it, you would think that before now you might have your memory jogged.”

Beck says either Harrison lied to Moe, or Moe lied to the people of Saskatchewan. If the former is true, she calls on Harrison to be booted from the caucus.