Moe also took shots at the National Police Federation, which represents Mounties across Canada and has opposed the Sask. Marshals Service.
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In a visit to Prince Albert on Thursday morning, Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe touted his plan to crack down on public disturbances and nuisance properties.
If re-elected at the end of this month, Moe said his government would make amendments to the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Act that would allow police greater authority to deal with intoxication on public properties, vandalism and other disturbances.
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The changes would also allow for police to cut off power “to address an abandoned building that has been repeatedly broken into or has trespassers squatting,” stated a news release from the Sask. Party issued Thursday.
According to the party, this would enable a business to designate police as “the authorized representative of their property,” which means officers could remove someone from a business without the need to get permission from the owner each time.
In addition to changes in legislation, Moe also re-announced a commitment to hire 100 additional municipal police officers and 14 new SCAN officers.
“Everyone in Saskatchewan deserves to feel safe in their community, their business and their neighbourhood,” stated Moe in the release.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck held a press conference on the steps of the legislative building in Regina, making an appeal to undecided voters and former Sask. Party supporters.
“I say this to all of you and to those who are standing behind me today, we can win this,” said Beck on Thursday afternoon.
“We have a record number of signs, a record number of volunteers and a record number of donors. This race is tighter than any in memory.”
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Beck then addressed a claim made by Moe earlier in the day that the NDP is “looking to legalize drugs and to make safe injection sites more commonplace, funded by the province.”
“No, we’re not,” Beck stated before she fired back at Moe, accusing him of coming up with “desperate lie after desperate lie about us and our plans.”
The NDP has also committed to hiring 100 more municipal police officers, but promised to axe the proposed Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS) if elected. The enhanced police force is tentatively scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026.
In August, the National Police Federation (NPF) and more than 100 rural municipalities, towns and villages signed a letter asking the province to halt the SMS plan and instead invest money in bringing more RCMP officers to rural Saskatchewan.
The NPF represents Mounties across Canada.
Beck said she would redirect the $20 million earmarked for the marshals to fund 100 new officers across existing police services, while also investing in mental health supports.
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“We need to get tough on crime,” Beck said, but added “we also need to address those root causes of crime, the mental health and addictions crisis that we see in this province.”
Speaking Thursday, Moe claimed the NPF was advocating “on behalf of what they feel will essentially make them more officers and more union dues.”
After voicing his disagreement with the NPF, Moe clarified that “the RCMP is one of (the most), if not the most, important law enforcement organizations in this province.”
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