REGINA - As was anticipated, the opposition NDP have introduced a bill aimed at making it tougher to call a separation referendum in Saskatchewan.
Opposition Leader Carla Beck has introduced a private members’ bill in the Legislative Assembly called the Keep Saskatchewan in Canada Act. First reading took place Wednesday afternoon.
According to the NDP the bill would do two main things: it would amend the Referendum and Plebicite Act to prevent the Premier and cabinet from unilaterally calling a referendum on separation, and it would double the threshold for citizen petitions on separation referendums from 15 per cent to 30 of eligible voters. The threshold for other referendum questions, however, would remain as is.
Beck met reporters Wednesday morning prior to the bill being introduced. She said that the threat a referendum could pose to jobs and investment in Saskatchewan was a key reason why she was introducing this bill.
“This is a bill about protecting jobs and investment and bringing stability back to our economy at a time of economic uncertainty, at a time when signals of stability are incredibly important to our country and to our province.”
Beck acknowledged the need for respect and a reset with Ottawa on various issues, but said Saskatchewan’s future was in Canada.
“It’s clear that the status quo isn’t working, but the answer is not walking away from our country,” Beck said.
She said a referendum would drive jobs out of Saskatchewan even if it were to fail, pointing to what happened in Quebec. “Capital fled, jobs lost, and their economy never recovered.”
Beck also acknowledged that citizen-led referendums are “a part of democracy,” but because of the serious economic harm separation could cause, the bar had to be set high.
Beck also took a shot at the Sask Party, expressing doubts about Premier Scott Moe’s ability to control his own caucus.
“The last thing we need right now is for him to launch an undemocratic separation referendum to save his own skin, or to cave to pressure from members of his own caucus with the Unified Grassroots.”
Beck also called on the Sask Party “to do the right thing and support this bill today.”
The NDP bill, which would make it tougher for a separation referendum to be triggered, comes just two days after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith went the other direction in that province, in which she announced the lowering of the bar to trigger a referendum down to ten per cent of eligible voters.
Beck's private member's bill comes after several days of NDP attacks on the Sask Party government, with the party accusing the government of ties to groups such as Unified Grassroots.
The Sask Party government has been downplaying the talk of a referendum in recent days. Premier Moe has said in recent days that he believes there is another direction "that isn't the status quo and isn't separation."
He has also dismissed opposition attacks by saying the only people talking about a separation referendum are the NDP.
The Sask Party government has also been critical about any suggestion that the current referendum legislation ought to be changed, and have accused the NDP of trying to silence people.
In speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Moe said the current referendum legislation is in place so that, in between elections, "there is an opportunity for a voice."
"What we see, and a fair question in this province, is you are seeing a piece of legislation that is being introduced by the Opposition where they want to take away that voice," Moe said.
"That's wrong. Silencing the very voters that you vie to represent is just plain-out wrong. And the Opposition leader and the Opposition party is going to have to explain why that is their wish."
