News just broke that Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party has accepted more than $3 million of shady political donations from outside the province — including millions from oil and gas companies in Alberta and B.C. [1]

You don’t have to look far to see that Brad Wall’s big oil donors are getting their money’s worth.

Premier Wall has been busy fighting the federal government’s climate plan this fall. After the Husky oil spill, he dodged questions about pipeline safety, and told reporters he hoped the spill wouldn’t make it harder to sell new energy infrastructure. Earlier this year, he travelled to Calgary, Ontario and Quebec to promote oilsands pipelines. [2-7]

While he’s helping out his big oil donors, families in Saskatchewan are struggling. Thousands of job losses. Cuts to education and support for people with disabilities. A health crisis in First Nations communities. [8-10]

Saskatchewan is one of the last provinces where outside corporations can make unlimited donations to political parties. Unless we tighten up the rules, out-of-province donations will distort Saskatchewan’s democracy.

Remind Brad Wall that he works for the people of Saskatchewan, not Alberta oil barons. Sign the petition to ban big money and out-of-province donations.

Huge companies like TransCanada, Encana and Enbridge don’t get rich by throwing money around willy-nilly. So what are they getting in return for their multi-million dollar investment in Brad Wall?

• Brad Wall travelled to Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland to promote TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline (TransCanada donated $16,000 to the Sask Party). [11]
• He threatened to fight Justin Trudeau’s government in court if they take action to rein in climate pollution, and dismissed global warming as “misguided dogma”. [12-13]
• After the Husky pipeline spill into the North Saskatchewan river, Brad Wall dodged questions about pipeline safety, but told reporters he hoped the spill wouldn’t make it harder to sell new energy infrastructure. [14]

This scandal could do serious damage to the Sask Party brand, and Brad Wall knows it. If enough of us speak out now, we can force Brad Wall to close the loopholes for shady out-of-province money.

Sign the petition now.

Out-of-province corporate donations are just the tip of the iceberg. We’re combing through the data, and finding dozens of questionable donations from local governments and taxpayer-funded institutions like universities and school boards. [15]

That means this scandal is only going to get bigger — and Brad Wall will be desperate to kill the story. If we act now, we can close the loopholes for shady political donations for good. Our democracy depends on it.

Notes

[1] Brad Wall took money from who? (Progress Alberta). http://BradWallTookMoneyFromWho.ca

[2] ‘This is a betrayal’: Brad Wall slams Justin Trudeau for carbon pricing deadline (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/saskatchewan-brad-wall-opposed-ottawa-carbon-pricing-1.3789379

[3] Can Brad Wall really challenge any federal carbon tax on crown corps? (Maclean’s). http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/can-brad-wall-really-challenge-any-federal-carbon-tax-on-crown-corps/

[4] Canada’s oilsands ‘in the middle of a battle’, Brad Wall tells Calgary Petroleum Club (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/brad-wall-calgary-petroleum-club-june-2016-1.3622378

[5] Brad Wall to stump for pipeline in Eastern Canada (iPolitics). https://ipolitics.ca/2016/06/10/the-drilldown-brad-wall-to-stump-for-pipeline-in-eastern-canada/

[6] Brad Wall doesn’t want to talk about pipeline safety after Husky spills oil in river (National Observer). http://www.nationalobserver.com/2016/07/27/news/brad-wall-doesnt-want-talk-about-pipeline-safety-after-husky-spills-oil-river

[7] Brad Wall comments on oil spill near North Battleford (CKRM News). http://www.620ckrm.com/2016/07/22/52368/

[8] July job numbers fall from June, up from 2015 (Regina Leader Post). http://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/july-job-numbers-fall-from-june-up-from-2015

[9] Sask. government dialing back income benefits for disabled people (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-govt-cutting-disabled-income-benefits-aug-2016-1.3712884

[10] 3 Saskatchewan First Nations declare mental health emergency (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/first-nations-saskatchewan-mental-health-emergency-1.3491471

[11] See 4 and 5 above

[12] See 3 above

[13] Premier Brad Wall criticized on climate science stance (CBC News). http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/premier-brad-wall-criticized-on-climate-science-stance-1.3599346

[14] See 6 and 7 above

[15] See 1 above