Brad Wall
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Brad Wall is a Canadian politician, leader of the Saskatchewan Party, and leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan.
Wall was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Swift Current in 1999, and re-elected in 2003. He became leader of the Official Opposition Saskatchewan Party on March 15, 2004. He replaced Elwin Hermanson, who resigned after leading the party to defeat in the 2003 provincial election. He is opposed to excessive public sector involvement in the economy, but joined fellow MLA's in unanimous approval of The Crown Corporations Public Ownership Act despite stating the Saskatchewan government should be less involved with the economy.
In September 2004, Brad Wall released The Promise of Saskatchewan: A New Vision for Saskatchewan's Economy[1], a plan to grow the province's economy.
After becoming Leader of the Saskatchewan Party, Wall committed to a review of Saskatchewan Party policies. This policy review process reached its culmination at the Saskatchewan Party's annual convention in February 2005 and resulted in a complete revamping of policy and the replacement of old resolutions, including a resolution that called for "boot camps" for young offenders. New policy resolutions included calling for treatment for crystal methamphetamine addicts, democratic workplaces, a patient-first review of the health care system, the development of a comprehensive plan to recruit and retain health care professionals, the development an integrated addictions strategy for young offenders who are incarcerated, a comprehensive review of the justice system to restore trust and confidence in the system, the establishment of a Provincial Youth Justice Board to address youth crime, rehabilitation and restitution measures, support for victims of crime, the establishment of a University Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety, and a review of the Workers' Compensation Board.[2]
In the fall of 2006, Brad Wall released a policy paper on behalf of the Saskatchewan Party caucus, "Getting Saskatchewan Back on Track: Addressing Saskatchewan's Labour Shortage."[3]
Wall and his wife Tami reside in Swift Current with their three children: Megan, Colter, and Faith.
Prior to his election, Brad was the Director of Business Development for the City of Swift Current. In 1999, the Saskatchewan Economic Developers Association (SEDA) presented Brad with the 1998 Economic Developer of the Year Award. He has also sat on a number of boards including being a founding member of the Southwest Centre for Entrepreneurial Development. Wall also started his own business, The Last Stand Adventure Company.
Wall's leadership style has generally been received as popular within the Saskatchewan Party caucus. However, his leadership but was called into question at the end of January, 2006 when notable MLA Brenda Bakken Lackey resigned from the party for having had difficulties in voicing her local constituents' concerns within Wall's caucus.[4]This led to a by-election in Weyburn where the Saskatchewan Party elected its former caucus researcher. At the Saskatchewan's Party's 2007 annual convention, Brad Wall received the support of 98 per cent of convention delegates for his leadership.[5]
Wall's political roots are in the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan, working as a Ministerial Assistant to the Honourable Graham Taylor, Minister of Public Participation, Tourism, Small Business, Co-Operatives, and Health, and the Honourable John Gerich, Associate Minister of Economic Development. Wall ran unsuccessfully for the Progressive Conservative nomination for Swift Current in April, 1991.
In recent times, he has been more willing to discuss his employment under the Grant Devine government despite that period of time being removed from his official Sask Party biography. In the Saskatchewan Legislature's Spring 2006 session, NDP MLAs revealed that Wall had worked in Gerich's office at the time when $15,000 worth of alcohol[6] was allocated to the Minister's office. Wall admitted to the media of his partaking in the alcohol and knowing it was "wrong" [7] and stated he considered it "an asset" to have learned from the government's activities.
He calls his former boss John Gerich "an honest fellow" despite a conviction. Wall also describes former Morse MLA Harold Martens who was convicted and ordered to pay $5,850 restitution as "the most honest man I ever met."[8]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.skcaucus.com/assets/pdf/The%20Promise%20of%20Saskatchewan.pdf
- ^ http://www.saskparty.com/index.cfm?page=269
- ^ http://www.saskparty.com/newsroom.html?page=6&news_action=details&news_id=B7B116BE-802F-1011-7B23107A44075BF9
- ^ http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2006/01/31/weyburn-seat060131.html
- ^ http://www.saskparty.com/newsroom.html?page=6&news_action=details&news_id=B7B116BE-802F-1011-7B23107A44075BF9
- ^ Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Jan 17th, 1992
- ^ Brad Wall on CBC, March 23rd, 2006
- ^ Willingness to discuss past says something about Wall; Murray Mandryk. Leader Post. Regina, Sask.: Aug 16, 2006. pg. B.7
[edit] External links
- Message from Brad Wall, Leader of the Saskatchewan Party
- Biography of Brad Wall, Leader of the Saskatchewan Party
- The Promise of Saskatchewan: A New Vision for Saskatchewan's Economy (.pdf)
- Brad Wall parody of the famous Tommy Douglas 'Mouseland' story (Realplayer required)
- Archive of The Last Stand Adventure Company website
| Preceded by Elwin Hermanson |
Leader of the Saskatchewan Party 2004-present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant-Governor | Gordon L. Barnhart • Former lieutenant-governors |  |
| Premier | Lorne Calvert • Former premiers | |
| Opposition Leader | Brad Wall • Former Opposition Leaders | |
| Speaker of the Assembly | Myron Kowalsky | |
| Legislature | Current assembly • Former legislatures • Cabinet • electoral districts | |
| Political parties | Saskatchewan Party • New Democrats • Liberals Progressive Conservatives • Social Credit • Greens |
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| Elections | 2003 general election • Past elections • Electoral districts | |
| Current issues | Equalization payments | |
| Other Canadian politics | Federal • BC • AB • SK • MB • ON • QC • NB • NS • PEI • NL • YU • NT • NU | |
