It isn't unusual for NDP caucus critics to come to the Battlefords for fact-finding consultations on key issues.
But it is unusual to see David Forbes, the NDP labour critic in the legislature, touring North Battleford at 2 a.m. on a Saturday.
"We don't usually get out and tour the streets at two in the morning," acknowledged Forbes, who was in the Battlefords visiting businesses on the graveyard shift as part of efforts to push forward his private member's bill called Jimmy's Law.
Jimmy's Law is named for Jimmy Wiebe, a gas station attendant who was working alone at a Yorkton gas station when he was shot and killed in 2011.
Forbes, the MLA for Saskatoon Centre, is pushing for changes that would require two workers to serve on a graveyard shift in the early hours of the morning as a way to deter such a crime from taking place. He toured a number of Saskatoon businesses late at night, including several retail businesses, and more recently took his nocturnal tour to Prince Albert and the Battlefords.
While in the Battlefords late Friday and early Saturday morning Forbes said he visited two establishments that were open 24 hours: the Petro-Canada gas station and the 7-Eleven.
His goal was not to blow the whistle on those businesses, but to gather facts.
"We weren't out inspecting as much as we were talking to the workers," said Forbes, "about how is it working late night with the public and what could we do better, and should there be stronger laws."
Jimmy's Law should find easy compliance, he believes. Five of the six businesses he visited in North Battleford and Prince Albert would not need to make any changes to comply with it, and seven of eight Saskatoon businesses already had protections in place.
Many businesses are already scheduling two workers on the night shift, said Forbes, and believes that may have already helped cut down crime in a number of places.
But he does think the issue needs a good look after Wiebe's death, which Forbes described as a "horrible" tragedy that could have been prevented.
"This shows there is work to be done, and there is best practises out there," said Forbes.
He also mentioned he saw some of those best practises in his tour.
"It's exciting to see in my travels really good business plans where people have doubled up with, say a food service like a Subway at a gas station," said Forbes. He says that sort of arrangement means more people on the job at night, plus it increases the amount of traffic at the business, decreasing its allure as a crime target.
Forbes also believes having Jimmy's Law in place not only would deter crime but assist in the case of medical emergencies such as asthma attacks or heart attacks, or even allow people to take a brief meal break during a long, late night shift.
"These are things that should be thought about when you have a workplace," said Forbes.
On his recent tour Forbes was accompanied by Aaron Nagy. Nagy was a close friend of Wiebe. Forbes describes Nagy as someone who has really spearheaded this initiative, contacting the NDP shortly after the election.
Forbes notes Wiebe had a network of friends who knew him, and says many people know of people who work these types of shifts at night.
He also notes the tour highlighted issues far beyond safety in the workplace late at night, but also the issue of safety during the late night hours in general.
"I think we need to do more, we can do more," said Forbes.
Forbes said he has written a letter to Labour Minister Don Morgan promoting Jimmy's Law, and Forbes said Morgan has responded. Forbes says he also wants to talk to the minister about the issue.
He says he has also sent letters to the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for further feedback on the issue, as well as to the chiefs of police. The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour has already endorsed the Jimmy's Law proposal, said Forbes.
Forbes plans to keep pushing the bill and believes it could be the type of bill that could have bipartisan support. He adds there is always the possibility the intent of his private member's bill could be addressed in future legislation by the government.
The private member's bill is currently in first reading in the legislature. Should it not make it through the current session, it would die on the order paper.
That won't deter Forbes, though, who says he would just reintroduce the Jimmy's Law bill again in the next session. Forbes adds he and the bill's supporters are prepared for their efforts to be a long process.
