Brad Wall - Controversies

Controversies

Wall's leadership style has generally been received as popular throughout Saskatchewan and within the Saskatchewan Party caucus. However, his leadership was called into question at the end of January 2006 when MLA Brenda Bakken-Lackey resigned from the party. Bakken-Lackey cited unspecified frustrations within the Saskatchewan Party caucus as being among her reasons for resigning. This led to a by-election in Weyburn-Big Muddy, which was won by the Saskatchewan Party's former caucus researcher, Dustin Duncan. At the party's 2007 annual convention, Wall received the support of 98 per cent of convention delegates for his leadership.

In recent times, he has been more willing to discuss his employment under the Grant Devine government. In the Saskatchewan Legislature's spring 2006 session, NDP MLAs revealed that Wall had worked in Gerich's office at the time when $15,000 worth of alcohol was allocated to the Minister's office. Wall admitted to the media of his partaking in the alcohol and knowing it was "wrong" and stated he considered it "an asset" to have learned from the government's activities.

On April 3, 2008, the provincial NDP released a video tape filmed during the 1991 Saskatchewan general election on the day of the leaders debate. The video showed Conservative MP and former Saskatchewan Party staffer Tom Lukiwski making homophobic remarks. Wall was also on the video using an exaggerated Ukrainian accent, making derogatory statements about former NDP Premier Roy Romanow. There were also comments made about then Liberal Party leader and future Lieutenant Governor Lynda Haverstock, which centred on her gender. Wall apologized later that day for his comments.

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