On Wednesday, it was announced that Moose Jaw’s downtown shelter would be moved.
There was a major problem, though: Mayor James Murdoch and representatives with the Downtown Moose Jaw Association — both standing behind Moe — had been given no notice, only learning about the unilateral decision of the provincial government moments before the press conference began.
“It makes you wonder just where this government puts its priorities — certainly the people of Moose Jaw are not among them,” said Brent Blakley, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Social Services.
“The Premier embarrassed himself yesterday. He disrespected the City Mayor and Council, key stakeholders in the city, and laid bare just how little he’s in control after 18 years of Sask. Party failure and mismanagement.
“But it goes beyond the incompetence of Scott Moe. Moose Jaw has two Sask. Party MLAs, including a Minister in Tim McLeod. Today, I’m wondering if either of them can even find their own city on a map.”
The press conference calamity came at a dire time for Moose Jaw. Two weeks ago, a senior died while living in his vehicle waiting to access supportive housing. According to the city’s most recent Point In Time Count, released by Square One Community, the number of homeless people in Moose Jaw doubled to 150 in 2024, up from 75 in 2023.
Later Wednesday, after the dust had settled on one of the most incoherent news conferences in Saskatchewan history, the Government issued a statement attempting to backtrack on comments made by Moe. No further clarification was provided Thursday morning.
“Moe’s own political staff either don’t know what they’re doing, don’t know what he’s doing or are actively undermining him — maybe it’s a little bit of all three,” Blakley said.
“I am calling on the Premier and his Moose Jaw Minister to get to the table today with key representatives in Moose Jaw to sort this mess out and develop a real, emergency plan to address homelessness in the city. Nothing less than this will do.”
After bumbling through his notes, Moe told reporters his government was in the “shelter business,” because of the drug crisis, another crisis his government has ignored while a person a day has died of overdose or drug poisoning in 2025.
He also made no mention of skyrocketing rents in Saskatchewan — and his government’s outright refusal to consider a push by the Saskatchewan NDP to introduce rent control in the province.
“Scott Moe and his minister clearly don’t give a damn about people who can’t make ends meet or who have been forced onto the streets,” said April ChiefCalf, Saskatchewan NDP Housing Shadow Minister.
“What happened yesterday was clear evidence of what we’ve been saying all along — this government is out of touch, out of ideas and focused on political infighting when they should be leading our province into the future.”