NDP opposition leader Carla Beck and Premier Scott Moe have come out with statements following the announcement of criminal charges against Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Greg Lawrence.
Lawrence resigned from the Saskatchewan Party caucus on Tuesday citing “an active police investigation is occurring into historical complaints.”
Lawrence has already announced that he will not be running in the next provincial election as he recovers from a motorcycle accident last August.
On Wednesday, the Moose Jaw Police Service issued a press release saying that Lawrence had been charged with assault and assault by choking stemming from an investigation that started on June 27, 2023.
Beck held a press conference on Thursday saying that the premier has questions to answer about the timeline of when he found out about the charges.
“I think the reasonable question that people in this province are asking, the question that we’re asking, is when did Scott Moe and his staff know about this? What more can they tell us about this? And are there more announcements like this to come,” Beck said.
Premier Moe released a written statement on Wednesday afternoon, saying he learned about the nature of Lawrence’s charges through the media.
“I am deeply concerned by this news,” Moe said in the statement. “Our government has enacted some of the strictest measures and implemented some of the strongest programs for violence prevention. Our work will not be deterred, and we will continue to focus on violence prevention initiatives to protect our families, our communities and our province.”
Lawrence’s first court appearance is scheduled for March 18 at Moose Jaw Provincial Court.
- With files from 980 CJME