Saskatchewan United Party a refuge for the 'politically homeless,' MLA says

The newest provincial political party launched in Saskatoon last night with leader Nadine Wilson invoking the spirit of former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who called Prince Albert home.

“I am Canadian. A free Canadian. Free to speak without fear. Free to worship God in my own way. Free to stand for what I think right; free to oppose what I believe wrong,” said Wilson, the Saskatchewan Rivers MLA who resigned from the Sask. Party for misrepresenting her vaccination status.

Wilson described the Saskatchewan United Party as one of law and order, gun rights and natural resources, which would address the health care crisis by “reducing bureaucracy,” and give parents a greater involvement in education.

She told CTV News she launched the party as a refuge for the “politically homeless.”

“The people need someone to listen to them. They told us they had a sense of political homelessness because the government has stopped listening to them,” she said.

For some in attendance, the fight over COVID-19 restrictions were part of the draw toward this new party.

“I like the idea that they’re going to give us our freedoms back,” said John Cook, a Saskatoon resident.

“Because right now over the last two years, it's so much division in the province between people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated; people who didn't want to wear masks, and who would wear masks, or people who were fired from their jobs because they stood up for their principles. They wouldn't accept the COVID jab,” said Cook.

If a Sask. United Party candidate runs in his riding, Cook says they have a good chance of getting his vote.

For political science professor Ken Coates, the Sask. United Party has yet to prove it’s more than a protest party.

“You get a party like Saskatchewan United, that is essentially a protest party that is clearly trying to present itself as an alternative to both the federal government and the provincial government,” he said.

“[It’s] operating on a provincial stage where there's an awful lot of animosity toward federal policies implicit in their in their platform.”

Starting a political party doesn’t take much in terms of resources, says Coates. Whether it’s committed to doing more than cause a ruckus remains to be seen.

UNPARLIAMENTARY LANGUAGE

While serving as an independent MLA, Wilson proved to be a bit of a gadfly in the legislature.

In May of 2022, she was ousted during a heated Question Period session after shouting over the energy minister and refusing to apologize for her “unparliamentary language.”

Premier Scott Moe criticized her for her behaviour in the house and for her poor attendance record.

“This is a member that has periodically shown up in the house, and we see when she does show up she gets kicked out,” he said. “I don’t think she’s been present for one vote in the house, the most fundamental job that you do on behalf of your constituents.”

-With files from Tyler Barrow and Wayne Mantyka