Moe blasts NDP for accusing him of golfing

“Scott Moe would rather golf with his buddies and fill his campaign war chest than do his job and support the people of the North who lost so, so much this summer,” said Senger in a statement. “Scott Moe’s actions in all this remind me a lot of how his buddy Donald Trump acts — he plays golf while everything burns.”

This proved too much for Premier Moe, who called out the NDP attacks when asked about it Tuesday at a noon-hour news conference in Saskatoon.

“First of all, I'll comment on the comments about golfing in the north,” Moe said.

“The NDP are being dishonest with the people of Saskatchewan by saying that. I was at the University of Saskatchewan this morning and here with you this afternoon. I will be at caucus meetings over the course of the next couple of days. Yesterday I was in La Loche as well as Beauval, and I've been busy in many parts of the province as well as other parts of the nation over the last while.

“So for the NDP to suggest without any knowledge that I would be golfing rather than meeting with any Saskatchewan residents is an outright lie, and it's dishonest, and the Saskatchewan people deserve better. And the leader of the Opposition should apologize directly to the people of this province. The people of this province want not only a serious government but a serious Opposition, not a dishonest Opposition. And that's what they're getting today, and an apology is deserved.”

Moe also pointed to “numerous ministers” who have been in northern communities, noting that Minister of Public Safety Tim McLeod “has been in Denare Beach on at least two occasions as well as deputy ministers, the minister of environment and others.”

“He very much has brought a clear message, and I would hope, being a very capable and competent and I would say busy minister at this point in time, that the people of Denare Beach who have experienced such a tragic loss, many of them, can be confident in the voice that he is bringing to the table of the cabinet and the caucus of the Government of Saskatchewan in supporting their community.”

Moe pointed to the doubling of per diem rates for evacuees, the $500 upfront payment in that per diem, and $20 million being provided for those who have lost a home or cabin, largely going into Denare Beach and East Trout Lake.

He also criticized McPhail, who represents Cumberland in the legislature.

“It is a good thing that the minister of public safety has been not only in the community of Denare Beach, but many other communities throughout the North. Because we have had but on one occasion, one piece of correspondence from the MLA from Cumberland with respect to representing those very constituents that he claims to represent. And this is troubling. And I would say it's been challenging to some degree for the government.

“And so thankfully, the minister of public safety has been in constant contact with local leaders to provide $20 million in preparatory rebuilding support, to provide the recovery task team in Denare Beach to support those families that have experienced loss. Because no such even question or advice has been provided by the member they elected to the Legislative Assembly. That is disappointing.

“So not only are the NDP lost and reckless, but now we're finding that they're dishonest as well with the very people they vie to serve.”

Moe was also asked about comments from one individual who said he would be “embarrassed” by the wildfire response in Denare Beach, and that the volunteer fire department was “left alone” to protect the community.

On that operations question, Moe deferred to SPSA officials. He stressed that “the loss of a home and so many homes in a place like Denare Beach is to not be understated in any way.”

Moe said the fires that approached Denare Beach and elsewhere “were more intense than virtually anything they've seen. And more intense than anything that I've been informed of in my time in government for sure.

“And there was many of them. And so the response was not only Saskatchewan-wide, but we had resources in from many other provinces, virtually every other province, as well as Mexico, Australia and many states across the United States of America. Our goal and our role as a government is to ensure that we are funding that response. And as you know, we took delivery of a plane that is dropping retardant on fires today, and are going to take delivery of three more over the course of the next three years. Thank goodness that that funding was provided last year, because the wait line today is much, much longer for that type of aerial infrastructure.”

Moe said they want to “ensure that this doesn't happen again into the future.” He said this was part of his conversations in Beauval and La Loche on Monday.

He said the government needs to improve communication and expand opportunities to train Type 3 firefighters in northern Saskatchewan “so that we have individuals that are certified so that they can not only fight fire, but defend the very communities where they live.”

Moe also cited the example of Wadin Bay, which faced a similar fire in 2015 and “took the very decisive action to access provincial and possibly federal funding to almost completely fire-smart their community with wet lines and sprinklers and fire breaks.”

Wadin Bay took a direct hit from fire in 2025, with “very little, if any, structure loss in that community.”

Moe said he wants the government to work with Ottawa and local leaders to “come together with a program that is going to provide that opportunity to drastically up our efforts in fire-smarting our northern communities in the way of fire breaks, in the way of permanent wet lines around those communities that can be utilized in the years when a fire is encroaching on them.”

He said he has already spoken with a federal counterpart about this in the last couple of days.

NDP fires right back

In response to Moe’s remarks, the NDP issued another news release Tuesday afternoon accusing him of “refusing to deny” his attendance at the Elk Ridge fundraiser.

The NDP stated Moe “refused to answer today whether or not he will be in attendance at his Northern Golf Classic, a partisan political fundraiser to fill his campaign war chest. Moe says that he has caucus meetings ahead of him – also not clarifying whether or not his caucus meetings are being held at the Elk Ridge Resort.”

On Wednesday, Cumberland MLA McPhail issued his own statement challenging Moe to visit Denare Beach, East Trout Lake and Sucker River.

"Premier Scott Moe flat-out lied yesterday when he said I haven’t asked for help after his government abandoned thousands upon thousands of my constituents during the worst wildfire crisis in the North in at least a decade. 

"Today, I’m calling his bluff — Premier, I am formally calling on you to join me next week on a tour of communities in the North devastated by wildfires — Denare Beach, East Trout Lake and Sucker River. I’ll even drive.

"I’ll also organize a town hall so you can explain to my constituents why you prioritized tan lines and tee times this summer over helping them in their hour of greatest need...

"It’s time to show your face, Premier. I expect it will be a packed house."

On Wednesday, the NDP shared a social media post of a photo of Premier Moe addressing those in attendance at the Elk Ridge resort for the golf tournament.

The NDP issued a news release claiming it was "photographic evidence" that "Premier Moe lied about golf tournament attendance." The NDP accused Moe of "doing exactly the opposite of what he promised."

“If you can make time for political donors you sure as heck should be able to make time for victims of this horrible wildfire,” said Deputy Leader Vicki Mowat in a statement. “Denare Beach is only a short drive away from the course. There’s zero excuse not to show up for these people who have lost so much.”

 With files from Jon Perez