To date, Sask. Party MLAs have spent more than $30,000 advertising in Weedmark’s newspapers, including the World-Spectator and Plain & Valley.
Meara Conway, Health Shadow Minister, wrote to Speaker Goudy on Wednesday seeking clarification on the authority used to grant the exemptions, why Opposition members were not informed or consulted, and what oversight exists to ensure that the conditions attached to the exemptions are being followed.
"We have rules in place to prevent politicians from using taxpayer dollars to financially benefit themselves or their own businesses," said Conway. "Now we’re learning that the Speaker granted exemptions allowing government MLAs to spend tens of thousands of public dollars advertising in newspapers owned by one of their own colleagues."
Sections 14 and 15 of Board of Internal Economy Directive 4.1 prohibit claims for advertising in publications produced by individuals or entities directly affiliated with registered political parties, as well as claims for services provided by companies owned by Members.
A March 19 memorandum sent on the Speaker’s behalf granted an exemption allowing MLAs Daryl Harrison and Warren Kaeding to advertise in Weedmark’s World-Spectator, subject to precautionary conditions.
Beck’s team only learned of the memorandum on Tuesday, when Sask. Party caucus communications staff emailed a copy to media at 12:29 p.m. in response to Conway’s request for an opinion from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.
After Conway raised concerns that other Sask. Party MLAs had also advertised in the World-Spectator, Sask. Party communications staff provided a second exemption at 4:08 p.m. Tuesday. This exemption, dated June 2025, had never been shared with the Official Opposition or provided to the Board of Internal Economy (BOIE).
The second exemption permitted four additional Sask. Party MLAs — Lori Carr, David Chan, Michael Weger and Travis Kesig— to advertise in World-Spectator tourist guides. Some of these MLAs had never previously advertised with the World-Spectator.
In several of those communities, other local media outlets are available.
"First, we learn about one exemption that nobody bothered to tell the Opposition or the BOIE about. Then, when we raise concerns that other MLAs appear to be breaking the conditions, a second secret exemption surfaces," Conway said.
"The Board of Internal Economy is deliberately structured to provide cross-partisan oversight of public money. Saskatchewan people deserve to know why these decisions were made without that oversight."
"Going forward, I have asked the Speaker to revisit these exemptions. We have a situation where an MLA’s private newspaper business contributed significantly to his election campaign, has been the subject of complaints about preferential access to government, and is now benefiting from taxpayer-funded advertising," Conway added.
"Saskatchewan people deserve answers, and they deserve better than this. The Sask. Party has clearly been in power too long, and it’s time for change."
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