‘Emotions run high,’ Jeremy Harrison says of outbursts in legislature

Speaking at a news conference in Saskatoon on Monday, Harrison was asked about recent incidents involving him and Finance Minister Donna Harpauer over the past two weeks.

Both were asked to apologize by Speaker Randy Weekes a week ago after Harpauer sent a text to Weekes, which he read out loud in the Assembly.

“Randy, if you can blatantly lie, tarnish reputations of elected and unelected individuals with innuendoes, but no proof, we have no avenue to push back. Then, this assembly has become a joke and a stage for an Opposition puppet show. Disappointing,” it read.

Weekes told Harpauer that if she wanted to make a point of order, she should stand up and do that, otherwise she should withdraw the comment and apologize.

“I withdraw and apologize,” said Harpauer.

Harrison also drew the ire of Weekes two weeks ago, and was asked to apologize for it. However, as Harrison did so, Weekes told him to stand.

“Stand up, please. Don’t slouch. Disrespect to the institution. Stand up,” ordered Weekes.

Then last week, Harrison was suspended from the legislature for the remainder of the day after he refused to apologize to Weekes for an inaudible comment made after Harpauer’s comments and apology.

“I asked the Government House Leader to stand, and withdraw and apologize for that, too. I’m not deaf,” said Weekes.

“I’m not,” Harrison responded before gathering some items and walking out of the room.

Harrison said from time to time, things like that happen.

“The legislature is a place where emotions run high on occasion,” he told reporters Monday.

During an interview on Monday’s Evan Bray Show, NDP Leader Carla Beck said the three incidents amounted to “temper tantrums.”

“I think that’s what we’re seeing here: A government that doesn’t like to be told ‘no,’ whether that’s from any level of government or that’s from the Speaker of the House. I think they need to understand how poorly this reflects on them,” said Beck.

Harrison responded to Beck’s comments by pointing out that she had been escorted out of the House after accusing Harrison of “lies” in relation to a tense exchange about pipelines in May of 2023. Beck also refused to apologize.

“These things happen,” Harrison said.

“It’s a place where there’s intense debate (and) intense conversation. It’s not new. This has happened over the course of not just the last 17 years that we’ve been in government, but prior to that as well,” he added.

As for whether it’s appropriate to be texting the Speaker, Harrison said “we’re texting back and forth all the time,” because they’re managing complicated “House business.”