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Randy Weekes

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Randy Weekes
Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly
for Biggar-Sask Valley
Biggar (2003–2016)
Redberry Lake (1999–2003)
In office
September 16, 1999 – October 1, 2024
Preceded byWalter Jess
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
In office
November 30, 2020 – November 25, 2024
PremierScott Moe
Lieutenant GovernorRussell Mirasty
Preceded byMark Docherty
Succeeded byTodd Goudy
Personal details
Born1956 (age 67–68)
NationalityCanadian
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Saskatchewan Party (until 2024)

Randall Percival Weekes (born 1956) is a Canadian politician. He was a Saskatchewan Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1999 until 2024, representing the constituencies of Redberry Lake, Biggar, and Biggar-Sask Valley. He served as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 2020 until 2024.

Early life

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Weekes was born in Biggar, Saskatchewan, where he lived on a ranch. He attended the University of Saskatchewan.[1]

Political career

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Weekes was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in the 1999 provincial election as a member of the fledgling Saskatchewan Party, a new conservative party established in 1997 by a coalition of former Progressive Conservative and Liberal MLAs and under the leadership of former Reform Party Member of Parliament Elwin Hermanson.[2][3] Weekes was re-elected five times during his political career, before losing a contested nomination ahead of the 2024 provincial election.[1] When the Saskatchewan Party won the 2007 election under the leadership of Brad Wall, Weekes was appointed government whip.[2] Weekes later served a stint in cabinet from 2012 to 2014 in the newly established ministry of Rural and Remote Health.[4][5] Following the 2020 election, which the party won under the leadership of Scott Moe, Weekes was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly over former Speaker Mark Docherty.[6]

Weekes was noted for promoting anti-abortion views. Weekes attended anti-abortion March for Life rallies in both Regina and Ottawa.[7][8] In the 2018 Saskatchewan Party leadership election to replace Wall—which was ultimately won by Moe—Weekes supported Ken Cheveldayoff, who was endorsed as the top-rated candidate by an anti-abortion lobby group.[9][10]

In December 2023, Weekes, one of the longest serving members of the Legislature, lost a contested nomination for the 2024 election in the new riding of Kindersley-Biggar to newcomer Kim Gartner.[1]

Saskatchewan Party resignation

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At the end of the 2024 Spring sitting of the Legislature, Weekes made a series of allegations in the House about harassment and bullying within the Saskatchewan Party caucus, including allegations of intimidation aimed at him in his role as Speaker from Government House Leaders and MLAs.[11][12] Recalling the oath of impartiality he took upon assuming the Speaker role, Weekes alleged that Saskatchewan Party members, including House Leader Jeremy Harrison, deputy House Leader Lori Carr, and finance minister Donna Harpauer, tried to "influence" his rulings; Weekes read into the record several text messages from the MLAs and told reporters that party leadership "wanted me to do whatever they wanted."[12] In addition, Weekes alleged that Harrison had at one time brought a gun into the Legislative Building, a charge that Harrison initially denied but later admitted.[13][14] Weekes also read a letter from the House's former sergeant-at-arms, Terry Quinn, that alleged harassment and defamation by government members, including corrections minister Christine Tell.[15]

In the aftermath of the allegations, Weekes criticized the direction of the Saskatchewan Party under Moe, stating that the party had "lurched to the right", citing its 2023 Parents' Bill of Rights, which placed restrictions on sexual health education and regulated the use of pronouns in schools, as an example.[16] In response, Moe called all of the allegations "sour grapes" after Weekes lost his nomination bid; Weekes replied that the loss merely meant that he had nothing to lose politically by revealing the allegations.[16]

On May 15, Weekes posted a photo on social media of his Saskatchewan Party membership card cut into pieces, along with the caption "Enough is Enough".[15] Weekes officially resigned from the Saskatchewan Party caucus on June 24, which left him to sit as an Independent member.[17] He decided not to stand for re-election, but in the lead-up to the fall election, Weekes publicly endorsed Carla Beck and the New Democratic Party.[18][19] At the time of that endorsement, Weekes also alleged that Saskatchewan Party MLA David Buckingham had used a racial slur in a caucus meeting, to which Buckingham then publicly admitted and apologized for.[19]

Electoral results

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2020 Saskatchewan general election: Biggar-Sask Valley
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Randy Weekes 5,775 73.52
New Democratic Twyla Harris Naciri 1,193 15.19
Buffalo Trevor Simpson 698 8.88
Green Darcy Robilliard 189 2.41
Total valid votes 7,855 100.00
Source: Elections Saskatchewan[20]
2016 Saskatchewan general election: Biggar-Sask Valley
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Randy Weekes 5,972 76.75
New Democratic Dan Richert 1,453 18.67
Liberal Faiza Kanwal 194 2.49
Green Ryan Lamarche 162 2.08
Total valid votes 7,781 100.00
Source: Saskatchewan Archives - Election Results by Electoral Division; Elections Saskatchewan[21]
2011 Saskatchewan general election: Biggar
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Randy Weekes 4,493 68.15
New Democratic Glenn Wright 1,695 25.71
Green Darryl Amey 206 3.12
Progressive Conservative James Yanchyshen 171 2.59
Western Independence Dana Arnason 28 0.43
Total valid votes 6,593 100.00
Source: Saskatchewan Archives - Election Results by Electoral Division
2007 Saskatchewan general election: Biggar
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Randy Weekes 4,499 59.93
New Democratic Ken Crush 2,311 30.78
Liberal Nathan Jeffries 493 6.57
Green Darryl Amey 204 2.72
Total valid votes 7,507 100.00
Source: Saskatchewan Archives - Election Results by Electoral Division
2003 Saskatchewan general election: Biggar
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Randy Weekes 3,917 53.61
New Democratic Lee W. Pearce 2,639 36.11
Liberal Nathan Jeffries 751 10.28
Total valid votes 7,307 100.00
Source: Saskatchewan Archives - Election Results by Electoral Division
1999 Saskatchewan general election: Redberry Lake
Party Candidate Votes %
Saskatchewan Randy Weekes 3,860 51.54
New Democratic Walter W. Jess 2,444 32.38
Liberal Harry Lewchuk 1,082 14.33
New Green Ivan Olynyk 162 2.15
Total valid votes 7,548 100.00
Source: Saskatchewan Archives - Election Results by Electoral Division

Cabinet positions

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Saskatchewan provincial government of Brad Wall
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Ministry Established Minister of Rural and Remote Health
May 25, 2012 – June 5, 2014 		Tim McMillan

References

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  1. ^ a b c Salloum, Alec (2023-12-15). "House Speaker Randy Weekes loses contested constituency nomination". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-02-02.
  2. ^ a b "Weekes earns nomination". The StarPhoenix. 2010-03-27. Archived from the original on 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
  3. ^ "Saskatchewan – Members of the Legislative Assembly" (PDF). Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  4. ^ Dalman, Keri (2012-07-28). "Rural, Remote Health Minister visits Humboldt". Sask Today. Archived from the original on 2024-11-12. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  5. ^ "Saskatchewan premier shuffles cabinet; several major portfolios unchanged". CTV News. 2014-06-05. Archived from the original on 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  6. ^ "Randy Weekes elected Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature". Sask Today. 2020-11-30. Archived from the original on 2024-11-12. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  7. ^ Conlon, Mickey (2017-05-12). "Saskatchewan pro-lifers bring their message to legislature". Catholic Register. Archived from the original on 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  8. ^ "Regina Pro-Life Rally". Archdiocese of Regina. Archived from the original on 2024-11-12. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  9. ^ Quesnel, Jennifer (2017-08-28). "Ken Cheveldayoff officially joins race to lead Saskatchewan Party". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2024-11-12. To date, Cheveldayoff's lone endorsement from within the Saskatchewan Party comes from caucus chair Randy Weekes.
  10. ^ "'Life begins at conception': Anti-abortion group names Ken Cheveldayoff top Sask. Party candidate". CBC News. Saskatchewan. 2017-11-22. Archived from the original on 2017-12-03. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
  11. ^ Salloum, Alec (2024-05-16). "Weekes lambastes MLA on way out as Speaker, makes 'disturbing' allegations". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  12. ^ a b Simes, Jeremy (2024-05-16). "Saskatchewan Speaker says he was harassed, threatened by government MLAs". CBC News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 2024-05-17. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  13. ^ Salloum, Alec (2024-05-24). "Harrison resigns as house leader, apologizes for bringing gun to Sask. legislature". Regina Leader-Post. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  14. ^ "Harrison brought gun to Legislative Building a decade ago, steps down as house leader". CKOM. 2024-05-24. Archived from the original on 2024-05-25. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  15. ^ a b Zieverink, Abby (2024-05-16). "Speaker Randy Weekes cuts up Sask. Party membership card". CKOM. Archived from the original on 2024-05-23. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  16. ^ a b Hunter, Adam (2024-05-18). "Sask. Speaker makes waves in pair of speeches on his way out". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2024-05-18. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  17. ^ "Sask. Speaker resigns from Sask. Party after making harassment allegations against caucus members". CBC News. 2024-06-25. Archived from the original on 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  18. ^ Massie, Gillian (2024-10-17). "Three former Sask. Party members back the NDP ahead of provincial election". CKOM. Archived from the original on 2024-11-13. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  19. ^ a b Cairns, John (2024-10-09). "Randy Weekes endorses NDP, levels racism charge at Sask Party". Sask Today. Archived from the original on 2024-11-13. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  20. ^ "A Report on the Twenty-Ninth General Election, Volume I: Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections Saskatchewan. 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  21. ^ "2016 General Election Results". Elections Saskatchewan. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
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