I go out to play with my table saw for a couple hours and all hell breaks loose ;
Saskatchewan Culture, Youth and Recreation Minister Glenn Hagel has announced he's stepping down from cabinet while police look into a case of alleged fraud at the New Democrat caucus.Hagel hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing, but said Wednesday afternoon that he takes the integrity of the legislature very seriously and so will leave NDP cabinet until police inquiries into the alleged case of fraud has been cleared up.
Earlier in the day, the Regina Police Service said it had asked the RCMP to investigate city police files related to the 15-year-old case.
The Opposition Saskatchewan Party has repeatedly raised questions about the investigation into the 1992 case of a former NDP caucus worker who admitted taking money — about $6,000 — that she said she wasn't entitled to from caucus funds.
At the time, Hagel was the caucus chair and co-signed some cheques that the former staffer, Ann Lord, admitted she altered.
So much for the "it was 15 years ago - enough already" crowd.
h/t Dean in Regina who notes;
This brings the total to 7 NDP MLA's who won’t be running for re-election in the next provincial election.Posted by Kate at May 16, 2007 5:00 PM
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Great News for my fellow constituents in Moose Jaw North! Hagel thought that this would blow over, but now with the RCMP involved things just got a little more dicey for an MLA who done NOTHING in his riding for years! Good Riddance to a glorified ribbon cutter (Minister for the Centennial or whatever the heck he was).
Posted by: Paul at May 16, 2007 6:01 PMSpudco man will porobably be next! Lautermilch is looking for an out! although, he has one of the safest NDP ridings!
Posted by: Bushman at May 16, 2007 6:13 PMYes, it would be very nice to see the Minister of Incompetence (Eldon Lautermilch), and the Minister of Patronage (Maynard Sonntag) step down as well.
The Minister of Injustice (Frank Quennel) would be another useless minister that we all could do without.
Posted by: Mark at May 16, 2007 6:49 PMYawn.....when do we get to hear about the issues, you know the things that actually matter to the future of this province?
I would love to know what the Sask/Con Party has in store should they actually get elected....or is that a secret until they get elected, maybe if I went to one of their Calgary or Edmonton fundraisers they would tell me...
Posted by: Sean S. at May 16, 2007 7:22 PMMaybe "change" is what the people of Saskatchewan want. good luck with the usual NDP campaign of selling fear to win this coming election.
In the recent Sask elections, I don't recall hearing what the NDP will do, only their take on where the Sask Party will go...
LOL @ Sean
"I would love to know what the Sask/Con Party has in store should they actually get elected...."
Eeek! Hidden Agenda!
"maybe if I went to one of their Calgary or Edmonton fundraisers they would tell me..."
Eeek! Boogeymen!
Next, you'll be telling my grandmother in the nursing home that the evil conservatives will take away her pension and medicare.
Again.
Bereft of ideas and utterly obsolete. Begone Saskatchewan NDP.
Posted by: A. Cooper at May 16, 2007 7:51 PMWell,well. Maybe there is hope for our neighbours to the East. Most of us here in Alberta are greatful to the CCF though. If they hadn't driven Esso out, they might not have come to Drayton Valley and started our oil revoultion here!!!!
Cheers.
...my Grandmother, God rest her soul, always said "be patient, the truth will come out..."
Posted by: tomax7.com at May 16, 2007 8:18 PMNot a lot of money to warrant a mely down by Ottawa stabdards but I guess when you're a wheat field commie any sum seems big and it doesn't take much to buy a dipper.
Posted by: WL Mackenzie Redux at May 17, 2007 8:25 AMIts just not fair! The NDP can't bring resort to fearmongering and scandals from the past anymore and that was all they had. They most certainly do not want to stand on their record of what really happened to Saskatchewn relative to Alberta while they held power. And so, the rats are leaving the ship and moving out of the socialist utopia they created and are moving to evil Alberta. I hope previous NDP supporters see the irony and realize they were duped.
Posted by: EyesWideShut at May 18, 2007 12:47 PM