Question Period (2 December 2025)

From Hansard (2 December 2025)

To view this section on video, click here and start play at 2:27:20 PM.

Government Response to Wildfires in the North

Leroy Laliberte: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today we are joined in the legislature by incredible people from the North, some of them that lost their homes in the wildfires, some of them that stayed behind putting their own health and safety at risk to defend their communities against the raging wildfires.

These people are incredible, Mr. Speaker, yet the overwhelming majority of people told me that they don’t feel like they have a proper voice in wildfire management. Will the Minister of Public Safety support the creation of a formal wildfire management strategy that involves public consultation and relies on the advice of people that fought fires in the North for generations?

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And our province does have a wildfire management strategy, and it’s based on best practice. And the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency relies upon the expertise of people who have been in this industry for over three decades, Mr. Speaker.

Not only do they rely upon the internal resources, but when we have an extreme fire season like we had this year, we reach out to other experts in the space, many of whom have joined us here today, Mr. Speaker, in your gallery — municipal firefighters, volunteer firefighters, who have been doing this for years.

Mr. Speaker, our government commends and we thank those brave men and women for their assistance in battling forest fires this summer. Thank you.

 

Leroy Laliberte: — Mr. Speaker, the wildfire management that this government has does not work. The people of the North feel like they don’t have a voice, Mr. Speaker.

Trevor Sewap quit out of frustration as fire base supervisor for Pelican Narrows as the fire destroyed Denare Beach. He had said no one was listening, and I quote, “I’ve been fighting fires since before many of these people that are calling the shots were even born.” Kari Lentowicz is also here today. She has an extensive background in disaster and emergency management, and she says that she’s not being listened to, Mr. Speaker.

Will the minister meet with these folks about the wildfire management immediately after question period? Or better yet, will the Premier?

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And of course, as we’ve said many times, this government is happy to meet with community leaders, community members who were impacted by the fires, which in fact is what we have done all summer long, Mr. Speaker.

Many members on this side have gone north meeting with communities, meeting with community leaders. A dozen meetings at least, Mr. Speaker, with community leaders. We’d be happy to meet with these individuals, and I would welcome Trevor and Kari and Millie and Myra to this, their Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker. Of course we’d be happy to meet with them.

 

Purchase of Water Bombers

Hugh Gordon: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Sask Party government is under an investigation by the Provincial Auditor for overspending on water bombers by nearly $100 million. Unfathomable. And the craziest part, the contract for those bombers was sole-sourced. No competition, no opportunity to get a better bid for the taxpayer. How can the Premier justify sole-sourcing this contract, and how much extra did taxpayers have to pay for that choice?

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And it should come as no surprise that the auditor, the Provincial Auditor is conducting an audit, Mr. Speaker. That is what she does. We welcome that report, Mr. Speaker, and look forward to its results.

I will say, Mr. Speaker, we have heard members from the opposition talking about a $100 million overspend, Mr. Speaker. That’s simply ridiculous. Mr. Speaker, the contract for these water bombers was $184 million, four water bombers delivered over the next four years.

Mr. Speaker, next door in NDP [New Democratic Party] Manitoba, they paid $80 million for the deposit on three water bombers, Mr. Speaker, and they don’t even know what the final price is going to be. So for the members opposite to suggest that we could acquire four water bombers for $80 million is nothing short of ridiculous.

 

Hugh Gordon: — That’s hardly a satisfactory answer to the question when this government knows full well that, had they gone through a proper process, that they might have learned they could have saved $100 million. And at the end of the day, the buck stops with this government and with this Premier.

We know that not only did this government not follow the proper procurement process, but in violating it they may have cost us an extra $100 million. Imagine what could have been done with the $100 million, Mr. Speaker, to benefit the people of Saskatchewan.

Can the Premier tell this House today which minister he intends on firing for this gross misuse of taxpayer dollars?

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. No matter how many times the opposition repeat it, it doesn’t make it so, Mr. Speaker. The allegation that there was no procurement process is simply untrue, Mr. Speaker.

There was a procurement process. It was followed in the acquisition of these planes, Mr. Speaker. They were purchased for 100 . . . I stand corrected; it was $187 million for four water bombers, Mr. Speaker, that will be delivered over the next four years — one of which was put to work this summer, and we’re thankful for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Purchase of Water Bombers

The following section begins at 2:43:05 in the video link provided above.

Jordan McPhail: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My brothers from Athabasca and Saskatoon Silverspring have stood in this House today looking to get some straight answers on the unprecedented wildfire crisis in the North. But as has been the case this entire sitting, this government refuses to be held accountable or commit to the necessary changes to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.

Yesterday we reviewed the supplementary estimates for the emergency wildfire response. I had literally pages upon pages of questions from my own constituents, but this government cut the time in half that we requested to go through these questions. Why does this government, at every single turn, hide from my constituents and proper accountability for this wildfire crisis?

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Nobody’s hiding, Mr. Speaker. The member opposite is new, but he should know that supplementary estimates are to deal with supplementary estimates. They’re not a fishing expedition for an inquiry that the member opposite has been calling for when in fact, Mr. Speaker, we’ve already contracted Meyers Norris Penny to do an independent third-party review.

It will be a comprehensive review that all of his constituents and all of the participants participating in this summer’s forest fire experience, Mr. Speaker, will be able to contribute to the review so that that report can be made available and we can ensure that we are implementing best practices next summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

 

Jordan McPhail: — Mr. Speaker, the only thing that’s new is that minister’s ability to dig his feet in harder and still pretend to be a rookie at his position.

Mr. Speaker, another non-answer from a government that doesn’t think it owes anything to the very people that elected it. I hear from folks in the North every single day that they lost faith in this Sask Party government long ago. After 18 years of these guys, they no longer believe they have a voice.

To the minister: prove me wrong and launch a truly independent public inquiry into the wildfire crisis that so many are demanding. The North is watching. Will the government, will that Premier, will that minister commit to that today?

Speaker Goudy: — Before any more responses, let’s keep the personal comments back and forth out of the debate please, out of the questions and comments. Minister, please.

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As I’ve indicated today and many times today, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is doing a full review of this fire season, Mr. Speaker. As well, Meyers Norris Penny is doing an independent fulsome review, independent from the agency, Mr. Speaker. It’s a third-party interview, Mr. Speaker, that’s led by experts in the industry.

The member opposite continues to call for a judicial-led inquiry, Mr. Speaker. A judge is not an expert in forest fire management, Mr. Speaker. Meyers Norris Penny has been used in British Columbia. They’ve been used in Jasper. They’ve been used in Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. These are the experts, Mr. Speaker, who do a review, a fulsome review. All of the participants . . .

[Interjections]

Speaker Goudy: — Member from Saskatoon Silverspring, I don’t know if you’re listening, but you’re the one that we’re all hearing. So please . . . Minister.

Hon. Tim McLeod: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I was saying, all of the people who were impacted by this year’s forest fires will have an opportunity to contribute to that review. The materials will be reviewed and prepared so that we have a fulsome report to go into next forest fire season so that we can ensure that best practices are being implemented. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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