EXCLUSIVE: Premier Scott Moe on Western separatism

Now that the NDP is looking to change the rules for triggering a referendum on separation in Saskatchewan, the debate is heating up. On Wednesday, NDP Leader Carla Beck introduced a private member’s bill that would double the number of signatures required to initiate a vote on separating from Canada.

In response, 980 CJME/650 CKOM’s Abby Zieverink spoke with Premier Scott Moe, who stated that his government would consider holding a referendum if the current threshold—signatures from 15 per cent of voters — is met. That would mean gathering approximately 120,000 signatures from Saskatchewan residents.

Moe referenced a report from the Chief Electoral Officer, suggesting that even the existing requirement presents a high bar. He added that the government has not had any discussions about holding a referendum without a petition, reiterating that the current process already sets a significant hurdle.

Modernizing referendum legislation

“Rules that provide the ability for citizens to petition for a non-binding plebiscite vote are too onerous: The notion that citizens would be able to collect the names, addresses and signatures of 15 percent of the eligible voter population of the province to force government to hold a non-binding plebiscite vote on a policy issue seems highly unlikely. In fact, these rules have never been used. This would require the manual collection of more than 120,000 signatures, along with a process of gathering sensitive personal information related to each signatory. No petition for a plebiscite has ever reached the stage of being submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer for verification12 in the 28 years that this legislation has been in effect,” from a report written by the Chief Electoral Office, Dr. Mochael Boda, about modernizing referendum legislation in 2019.

ABBY ZIEVERINK: Is there any situation where you would initiate a referendum on having Saskatchewan separate from Canada?

SCOTT MOE: When it comes to the referendum that would be initiated by any government, I think a government would have to consider it, should the current criteria be met, the 15%, I mean, that’s over 120,000 Saskatchewan residents who would be interested. That would be the spirit and the wish of the legislation.

That’s a high bar, in fact, identified by the elections officer, that it’s probably too high a bar, I think, just about six or seven years ago, in a report that he had done so, the legislation is there. It’s been there. It was amended last in 1996 been there for about 40 years.

We would follow the legislation that’s in place. And if Saskatchewan people want a voice, they would certainly get a voice. What we won’t consider is raising that bar even higher, in direct contravention of what the official election officers recommended just a few years ago.

Would you initiate one without a petition on your own?

MOE: We haven’t had any of those discussions.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she would pursue a separation if a vote in Alberta endorsed it. Is that something you back her on?

MOE: By the way, of her legislation, I think she actually has to, if, in the case of Alberta, the criteria are met to spark a referendum, I think she would have to, or precipitate a referendum. She would have to. So that’s the way legislation works.

If it did go to a vote on separation, to the citizens here, would you vote in favour of separating?

MOE: No, no. And again, this is what the NDP and others are putting forward, is there are only two choices in this conversation. I just fundamentally disagree with that.

They feel that there’s only the choice of separation, which they won’t quit talking about, and then there’s a choice of what the status quo is, which is largely policies that have been introduced over the last decade from the Liberal government in Ottawa, supported by the NDP, that have been problematic for how we create wealth in places like Saskatchewan and Alberta, and, I would say, other parts of Canada as well.

And it’s showing in our per capita GDP, et cetera. We think there’s another way to actually work with the federal government on amending and changing the direction of some of the policies that are there make a stronger economy for all Canadians, provide greater opportunity for all Canadians, and to work alongside a new Prime Minister.

And we look forward to doing that. And the first conversations that we’ve had, I would say that it look promising. As we say, we’re going to host an FMM here in June with all of the premiers and the Prime Minister as well, that’ll be hosted in Saskatoon.

With that in Saskatoon, what were your thoughts when you heard the meeting with Carney and the premiers? The first one is going to be in our province here?

MOE: Well, he had asked me if we would host, so it was on our very first call, and I’d invited him to Saskatchewan to discuss some of the challenges that Saskatchewan people see with the policy that’s been introduced over the last 10 years. And said, it would be very good for you to come to Saskatchewan and to have this discussion in some way, shape or form.

And he said, Well, would you consider hosting an FMM there? And I said, Absolutely, consider it done. And so that’s that’s how it went, and we’ll have it in the first part of June in Saskatoon, and we look forward to hosting Prime Minister Carney, likely a few ministers and and all the other premiers, 12 other premiers.

Do you think this is a sign of building a better relationship between your government and the federal government?

MOE: That’s our effort. And I think that was obvious in the first press scrum I did post-election. And what we are trying to do is find that path forward that makes for a strong, growing, vibrant Saskatchewan with opportunities for all that live here and those that are coming here, but within a united nation in Canada, and that just is fundamentally something that the NDP simply don’t seem to accept.

What would you say are the main differences and similarities between Trudeau and Carney that you’ve noticed so far?

MOE: We’ll see what the action is. But with respect to the discussion that we’ve had, the Prime Minister seems open to, at least, working together, where there’s been some identified points of frustration, and I would say, even, bubbled up into anger for many, many Canadians, not just in Saskatchewan.

I commend the new Prime Minister for being open to having those discussions. We’ll see what action follows those discussions. There will have to be some listening at the end, we’ll all have to work together, give a little bit to find our path and to chart a new path, but we all have to make an effort. And I’m hopeful that the new Prime Minister will, and if he is, we certainly will and are willing to.