Moose Jaw MLA facing charges of assault and assault by choking

The MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow is facing assault charges.

On Tuesday, the Government Caucus Office said MLA Greg Lawrence resigned from the Saskatchewan Party caucus.

While details weren’t given, the office said Lawrence’s resignation comes as an “active police investigation is occurring into historical complaints unrelated to his duties as an MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow.”

On Wednesday, the Moose Jaw Police Service shared details of the allegations against Lawrence, who was first elected in 2011 and won’t be running in the next provincial election.

“On June 27, 2023, the Moose Jaw Police Service began an investigation into complaints of assault during interactions between two people,” the police service said in a statement.

“On January 31, 2024, following this investigation, 58-year-old Gregory Lawrence of Moose Jaw was charged with Assault contrary to section 266 of the Criminal Code and Assault by Choking contrary to section 267(c) of the Criminal Code.”

Lawrence is to make a court appearance in Moose Jaw on March 18, the police service added.

“No further information will be released as these matters are now before the court,” the statement concluded.

Lawrence was involved in a motorcycle crash in Moose Jaw in August.

In a statement released early Wednesday afternoon, Premier Scott Moe said he learned of the nature of the charges against Lawrence through the media.

“I am deeply concerned by this news,” Moe wrote. “Our government has enacted some of the strictest measures and implemented some of the strongest programs for violence prevention.

“Our work will not be deterred and we will continue to focus on violence prevention initiatives to protect our families, our communities and our province.”

Lawrence is the second Saskatchewan Party MLA to face criminal charges in recent months. In November, Cut Knife-Turtleford MLA Ryan Domotor was removed from the government’s benches after he was charged under a section of the Criminal Code related to paying for sex.

NDP responds to charges

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck told reporters that the Opposition wants answers about when Moe knew about the charges and why there wasn’t any action taken sooner.

Moe said he had learned about the news from media, but Beck said it was fair to cast doubt on that claim.

“I think it’s reasonable for people, including myself, to have some misgivings about the premier not having any indication of any of this when there has been an investigation ongoing for seven months. I think that’s reasonable,” Beck said.

Beck also made allusions to the Grant Devine Progressive Conservative Party that had been mired in scandals decades ago.

“Sometimes when governments have been in power for a long time, there’s a tendency to think that rules don’t apply to them, there’s a tendency to stop listening (and) there’s a tendency to perhaps think that you’re above the law or what applies to regular folks doesn’t apply to you,” Beck said.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Daniel Reech