Thursday, Nov. 26 marked the final scheduled sitting day of the legislature for this session.
With it also being the final sitting day for the term, a number of MLAs — nine Saskatchewan Party and one New Democrat — bid their farewells as they retire from the legislature.
One MLA — Saskatchewan Party MLA for Wood River Yogi Hughebaert — opted not to give closing remarks, but the other nine members gave extensive farewells as the session wrapped up. They were Bob Bjornerud (Melville Saltcoats), Doreen Eagles (Estevan), Wayne Elhard (Cypress Hills), Bill Hutchinson (Regina South), Ken Krawetz (Canora-Pelly), John Nilson (Regina Lakeview), Rob Norris (Saskatoon Greystone), June Draude (Kelvington-Wadena) and Don Toth (Moosomin).
It was a notable list. Most had served in cabinet at one point or another. Nilson and Krawetz had also previously served as interim leaders of their respective parties.
For former Liberals Bjornerud, Krawetz, and Draude and for former PC Toth, it was a particularly memorable departure as they represented four of the eight founding MLAs of the Saskatchewan Party in 1997.
Recognized in the gallery was another former founding Sask. Party MLA, Rod Gantefoer, who retired from the legislature in 2011 and is now with STARS Air Ambulance.
In their remarks, retiring MLAs recognized the role of past Sask. Party MLAs, who had not lived to enjoy the party’s success in government. Mention was made of the late Rosthern and Martensville MLA Ben Heppner and also recognized was Rudi Peters, the former Battleford - Cut Knife MLA who died in 2002.
Both Bjornerud and Draude mentioned Peters in their remarks and Draude said the following:
I think about Rudi Peters, and I don’t know how many of you remember him, but there was a time when we were in opposition where we had a chance to defeat the then government in a vote, and Rudi Peters had cancer and he hadn’t come in for a couple of days. But that night he made a special effort, and his wife Shirley brought him in for the vote and we won that vote. But it showed to me how much the political world meant to him and what a difference it can make, and he’s on my mind.
Here are portions of the final speeches from each of the retiring members made in the legislature, as recorded in Hansardfrom Nov. 26.
Bjornerud: And today, Mr. Speaker, you know, it’s mixed emotions that we’re up here today. On the one side, I’m really looking forward to retirement. On the other side, I’m going to miss you guys. I can only speak for the members on this side right now, but there’s 49 Sask. Party MLAs, Mr. Speaker, and the Premier and including myself there’s 48 Sask. Party MLAs. I cannot imagine when this started how that many people can sit in a caucus, and I do not remember one time that we raised our voices with each other. That’s amazing when you think about this number of people that get along that good. We have disagreed, like we do. I’m sure on the other side at times, and we had disagreements. But the way it works when you voice your opinion and you get your way, great. And if you don’t, that’s great, too, because the majority rules. And we get along fine.
And you know when I go home, and I think it’s the same with many of us especially that live out of Regina and the large centres, but I go home, and it’s kind of like a gate you go through to your family at home — my kids and my partner and, you know, people like that. And then you go to coffee row and these are your friends that you’ve known all your life. And then you turn around on Monday morning or Sunday night and you come back in here and you come through, it seems like that same gate. I come to see my other family in here.
And you know what I’m going to miss most? Not really the job. I mean it was great, and it was an experience that many people would be glad to have. It’s you people — that’s the friends that I’ve made over these years. And you know, payday is going to be a bad day because there’s no cheque coming. But I can tell you that it’s not the dollars that I will miss. I didn’t start for the dollars, and I’m not worried about it when I leave. Because it’s you people I’m going to miss; there’s going to be just like a vacuum out there.
Eagles: And this is the last time I get to do this, so I am going to leave the NDP a little bit of advice, too, Mr. Speaker. The people in my constituency wouldn’t think it was me talking if I didn’t. But I’m going to leave the words of Helen Keller, and I don’t have the exact quote, so I will just say that there’s only one thing worse than being blind and that’s being able to see but having no vision.
And I just got new glasses, Mr. Speaker. And I thought, I should leave the Leader of the Opposition my old glasses because when he looks across and sees the Premier, he could see that the Premier isn’t there and wouldn’t focus on him and ask him questions in question period when he isn’t there.
Elhard: You know, the member from Saltcoats said he can’t ever remember hearing our caucus experience a raised voice. That is remarkable, given the tensions and the egos and all the ambition that sits around a table with, you know, 48 different people. That is amazing. And I think it’s indicative of the desire of us all to serve the province first and not our own interests. And I want to compliment my colleagues. It’s been a pleasure serving with them and enjoying their company and getting together inside and outside of session for some social gatherings, but for some business meetings and things. I always felt that I was well served by my colleagues, and I appreciate their support and the job that they do.
Hutchinson: I remember the day that we announced the program allocating the equivalent of a full one per cent of PST [provincial sales tax] to Saskatchewan’s municipalities. We did it right here in this room. And afterward we welcomed members of SUMA [Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association] and SARM [Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities] and the New North just outside this room in the rotunda. It was an extraordinary day. It was an historic day.
I met my old buddy, Allan Earle, SUMA’s president at the time, and with excitement clearly evident in his eyes, he declared that the new financial partnership changed everything and would allow municipalities to move forward on their agendas for renewal and growth in a way that up until this time had simply not been possible.
And you know, Mr. Speaker, even now, years later, municipal leaders still confirm that the extra funding continues to make a great big difference in their communities, but they quickly add that the predictability of this revenue stream has significantly increased their ability to plan for the future of their communities and the constituents that they represent. So on this key file, our work here clearly made a difference in people’s lives.
In his remarks Krawetz expressed particular pride in the work done in education, his former portfolio.
Krawetz: Mr. Speaker, when I hear people say that there hasn’t been much done in schools — we saw Prairie Spirit come forward demanding that, you know, they take materials out of a school because the ceilings were falling down, even though they received $1 million of emergency funding from the Minister of Education — it bothers me. It bothers me that someone isn’t looking at the whole picture.
Krawetz then proceeded to name each one of 65 schools in the province that had received upgrades under the Sask. Party government.
Krawetz: So you see, Mr. Speaker, the reason for putting that on the record is for the public of this great province to understand that there has been a lot done. This list, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education may correct my numbers, but I doubt it. He will recognize ... that this has meant over $1 billion worth of expenditure on schools.
… Politics at any level is a difficult job because everybody has different expectations and needs, and decisions and choices have to be made — tough choices, choices not everyone agrees with. But in all my dealings, I have endeavoured to be fair and prudent and mindful of how best to serve the people of this province.
Despite what some people might think, I know from my years here that MLAs on both sides of this House worked diligently and with great integrity for the greater good of this province and country. It is a job that requires a thick skin at times — one I don’t have right now — but it is also a job that brings tremendous satisfaction when you are able to improve people’s lives. As I leave, I have no regrets for the past 20 years. I have greatly enjoyed building a better province and a brighter future for all. God bless Saskatchewan.
Nilson: Now it’s hard to sum up a political career, and you’re always inadequate to describe it in words. But I for years have said there are two things that are important when you’re a politician, and those two things were: number one, be good. Everybody’s watching you, and if you’re doing something crazy, somebody’s going to find out about it and it’ll cause you all kinds of difficulty. Second thing is you can’t do these jobs unless you have a really good laugh at least once a day. And even in the direst circumstances, it’s really good to laugh.
I’ve added a third thing in the last, you know, couple of years, and that’s the fact that as a politician, you have to listen. Too many politicians blare at people. And when you sit and when you go to talk to people and that’s all you do is you talk and you don’t listen, you’re not doing your job. And I think that it’s a lesson for me. It’s a lesson for all of us to remember that point about listening because what people want from us is the fact that we have heard their particular issue, we’ve heard their particular problem and we’re going to attempt to sort it out. And so, if I have any advice to new politicians and the ones that are going to continue for many years to come, it’s those three things — be good, laugh every day at least once, and listen.
Norris: Events last year in Ottawa reminded and reinforced, for the first time in contemporary Canadian history, lessons that others have learned along the way and are reflected by the scars of violence in different legislatures around the world, how privileged this space is and how honoured we all are to be parliamentarians and to earn the public trust. And so, to the people of Saskatoon Greystone, I offer my final thanks. It has been an honour.
Draude: I don’t know what else to say because I’ve determined that I wasn’t going to cry. I know that the Minister of Education told me this morning there’s a little bit of a bet going around in the hallways wondering who’s going to cry. And I know that the member from Canora-Pelly, you were on the list and I think I was, too, but I’ve decided that that’s not how I’m going to go out. I want to go out knowing that I’m happy about my decision to not run again, that I’m happy about the difference I was able to make as part of a political party and part of the democracy that we all enjoy and sometimes take for granted. So as I leave, I just wish you all the very best.
I think I’ve told you enough about my family to know that we’re pretty diverse. My oldest son had a thing about Adams. I don’t know if any of you ever read the book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Well what he said was, goodbye and thanks for all the fishes. That’s what I’ll say to you. Thank you.
Of all the retiring MLAs the longest tenure belonged to Toth, who wrapped up almost 30 years representing Moosomin in the legislature with these remarks Thursday.
Toth: This is a great country. We’ve got an awesome province. We welcome people from around the world. We continue to do so. But if I could say, members — many will be back here — let’s not forget where we came from. Let’s keep these founding principles dear to our hearts, because as an imam said to his Liberal member when the former premier of Ontario, Peterson, was going to remove the Lord’s Prayer from their Chamber, this imam said very clearly, what are you doing that for? I didn’t ask you to do that. It’s because of those guiding principles that allowed me to come, call Canada home, worship freely and live freely.
Ladies and gentlemen, those are some very significant principles. I believe we’re going to have to work hard to maintain them to ensure that we have a province and a country that our children and people from other generations can be proud of.
I thank you all for the opportunity to serve. I’m looking forward to enjoying some time with my wife and family. Thanks so much. God bless. Merry Christmas
