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The Sask. NDP is happy to hear the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly apologize for an oversight in procedure, but still wants the exemptions around advertising in Sask. Party MLA Kevin Weedmark’s newspapers to be revoked.
On Thursday, the opposition NDP received a response from Speaker Todd Goudy to a letter sent earlier in the week.
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The NDP’s letter raised concerns about exemptions that were given for six Sask. Party MLAs to advertise in fellow Sask. Party MLA Kevin Weedmark’s publications, including the World-Spectator. It also asked for clarification on why the exemptions were allowed
In the speaker’s letter back, he acknowledged that he hadn’t informed the Board of Internal Economy about the exemptions.
“You are correct that my decision should have been provided to the Board. I apologize for this oversight,” read Goudy’s letter.
He said when he was made aware of it, he immediately made the documents available to the members of the board, and they would be officially tabled at the next meeting.
Meara Conway, the NDP’s deputy house leader, said he was glad the speaker apologized and acknowledged the proper procedure wasn’t followed.
“I think it is an admission that the proper process wasn’t followed here, so we were right to be extremely concerned,” she said.
She said the rules would clearly have prohibited the advertising from happening without the exemptions.
At the same time, Conway said on Friday that she and the NDP are still extremely concerned because the exemptions still stand.
New information
Conway said new information that’s come to light about Weedmark and his publications makes it “unthinkable” to allow the exemptions to continue.
She claimed newspaper employees appear to be doing work that supports Weedmark’s official MLA duties; a journalist employed by the paper participated in his election campaign; there were significant money and in-kind contributions made to his campaign from the papers, like use of a campaign vehicle; there’s been a formal complaint made by media about the special access the World-Spectator had been granted to government, and Weedmark’s continued involvement in the paper’s day-to-day operations.
According to Conway, those things compound the concerns that Weedmark’s business is getting advertising dollars from government.
“We have a newspaper using its resources to support its owners’ political activities — Kevin Weedmark’s political activities — and then he’s turning around and receiving public advertisement dollars from that same owner’s colleagues in the Sask. Party, while also facing allegations of preferential access to that same government to his paper,” explained Conway.
NDP Deputy House Leader Meara Conway. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)
She said more than $30,000 in advertising dollars have flowed from government MLA advertising to Weedmark’s papers over the last two years.
Conway also had concerns about how the exemptions are being monitored — Weedmark is allowed to advertise in his own publications but can’t be reimbursed for it and must pay fair market value.
The NDP wants the exemptions revoked and to go back to the rules as they’re written.
“My main concern is just, going forward, ensuring that we don’t have another $30,000 worth of public money flowing out to a newspaper that is bankrolling, one, its owner and government MLA’s election campaign, or subsidizing public duties, or giving preferential access to the government,” said Conway.
From Weedmark
Government didn’t provide a response to the NDP’s comments on Friday by the end of day, but documents and a statement were sent out on behalf of Weedmark earlier in the week.
He pointed out that, shortly after he was elected, he sought directions from the Conflict of Interest Commission on his newspapers and ads from other MLAs. The commissioner passed it on to the Speaker’s office, which said it would be allowed with certain conditions attached.
He also got direction on other kinds of ads from Crowns in his papers.
In the statements, Weedmark said he’s followed all the conditions and directions that were provided to him.
