Thatcher, 84, was invited to Wednesday’s throne speech by longtime friend and Saskatchewan Party MLA for Lumsden-Morse Lyle Stewart. On Monday, the provincial government announced it was relieving Stewart of his duties as legislative secretary. Thatcher, 84, was found guilty in 1984 of the first-degree murder of his ex-wife Joan Wilson, who was found beaten and shot to death in the garage of her home the previous year. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole for 25 years and was granted full parole in November 2006. Thatcher was a cabinet minister under the Grant Devine government. He resigned from the cabinet four days before Wilson was assassinated. Before question period began Monday, Moe stood to give a statement. “This person was invited by a government MLA and while I do not review or approve MLA invitation lists, as Prime Minister and leader of the government caucus I am ultimately responsible. To everyone who watched the speech from the throne and to all members of this assembly and to the people of Saskatchewan, I offer my unequivocal apology,” he said. Moe’s statement was a change from last week. On Thursday morning, reporters asked the prime minister if he would apologize for inviting Thatcher. “What would I apologize for?” he said. “The fact is we had a single MLA who sent that invitation. I certainly wouldn’t have extended it.” On Monday, Mo said Thatcher “should not have been invited” and called the invitation a “terrible error of judgement”. Moe said he took time over the weekend to think and listen to family, friends, colleagues and the province of Saskatchewan “directly and indirectly.” “The message conveyed in last week’s presence by Mr. Thatcher during the Speech from the Throne is not a message acceptable to the people of Saskatchewan, nor is it indicative of a government that has a duty to take leadership on such an important issue. Moe said. “As individuals, we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to stop interpersonal violence in our families, our friends, our communities and across the province.” Check out Moe’s apology:
Prime Minister Scott Moe offers his ‘unreserved apology’ after inviting convicted murderer Colin Thatcher to throne speech
Premier Scott Moe opened question period with a statement and offered his “unreserved apology” after Sask invited convicted murderer Colin Thatcher to the throne speech. Party MLA Lyle Stewart. Moe said he didn’t review or approve the guest list, but it’s his responsibility. Stewart, who is a former cabinet minister, had been legislative secretary for provincial self-government. Stewart was selected by Moe to lead the in-house autonomy meetings in several communities over the summer. On Wednesday, after the throne speech, Stewart told the Canadian press that Thatcher was a “good person”. “Colin has been a long-standing MP and is a constituent of mine and a friend of mine because of that [invited him] and I’m glad I did,” Stewart told The Canadian Press. “If anyone has a right to be here, it’s Colin Thatcher.” The next day, Stewart released a statement about his decision to call Thatcher. “Each MLA is given the opportunity to invite a number of guests to the Throne Speech. It was my decision to invite Colin Thatcher, who is a long-time friend. It was a distraction from a very positive and forward-looking Throne Speech, which included a number of new initiatives to keep Saskatchewan families safe in their communities,” Stewart said.
