NDP questions makeup of Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission

The Saskatchewan NDP is lashing out at the provincial government, saying a newly installed member of the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission is a Saskatchewan Party insider.

Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre appointed Alan Thomarat to the commission last month, but according to a social media post by Eyre in 2021, Thomarat was the Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota constituency “co-prez”.

BREAKING: A second Human Rights Commissioner turns out to be a senior Sask. Party insider.

Stacking the Human Rights Commission with friends and donors is like letting someone accused of a crime put their best friends on the jury.#skpoli pic.twitter.com/NmivcymId2

— Saskatchewan New Democrats (@Sask_NDP) February 26, 2024

That wasn’t mentioned in Thomarat’s biography when he was named to the commission Jan. 26.

“He is a former chair of Saskatchewan Polytechnic and is the president and founder of Galt Resources Strategy Group, which specializes in policy research, board governance and human resource management,” the government said in the release announcing the appointments. “Alan has also served on various boards and councils and in municipal government for over 18 years in the Village of Thode.”

In response to the move, the NDP is calling for the Saskatchewan Party to scrap all recent appointments to the commission and set up an arm’s-length independent group to guarantee that future appointments serve the people of Saskatchewan.

At a news conference Monday at the Legislative Building, Opposition Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway said this is a shocking discovery.

“For Bronwyn Eyre to appoint the president of her constituency association to the human rights commission, it’s outside the realm of anything I would think that I would see coming from this minister,” said Conway.

She said the move was undemocratic and highly inappropriate.

“For them to be stacking this body that should be a referee of government, (that) should be holding government accountable, (the Sask. Party is) literally stacking them with their friends, their donors (and) their insiders. This is beyond the pale,” said Conway.

It previously had been reported that Mubarik Syed — who also had been appointed to the commission — is seeking the Sask. Party nomination for the Saskatoon Southeast riding.

The provincial government responded to the NDP’s accusations with a statement that outlined the commission’s role, noting that it “functions independent of government.” It added that the commissioners “have no role in the complaint process and have no influence on any aspect of the disposition of any complaint.”

The statement also laid out Thomarat’s qualifications for the role, including his education and work background.

“Mr. Thomarat is an expert in governance with a strong background in management, strategic planning, and collaboration,” the statement read.

The commission saw a prominent resignation in the fall of 2023, as Heather Kuttai stepped down from her post in protest over the provincial government’s controversial school pronoun policy.

Kuttai, who was appointed in 2014, said the commission was designed to uphold individual rights, and said the legislation ran contrary to that goal by not protecting children.