No evidence of leaked debate questions: Sask. Party

An investigation by the Saskatchewan Party has found there is no evidence anyone leaked questions during a leadership debate earlier this month.

A complaint was made by leadership candidates Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Scott Moe and Gord Wyant following the debate in Weyburn on Dec. 1. They alleged candidate Alanna Koch was given advance notice of the questions.

In a statement released Tuesday, the Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) concluded there was “no direct evidence or proof” anyone provided questions to any candidate or campaign team.

“All the evidence supplied to us by those in support of the complaint was circumstantial,” the committee stated.

The statement goes on to say specific inquiries by Kathy Young, Premier Brad Wall’s chief of operations and communications, to the various ministerial office staff on topics that were subjects in the Weyburn debate were a “justified concern” to those who raised the complaint.

The committee stated it will make recommendations on that issue for future leadership races.

There are five candidates in the running to replace Wall and become Saskatchewan’s next premier.

The leadership vote will be held Jan. 27 in Saskatoon.