April 14, 2025 Minute Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice Committee

STANDING COMMITTEE ON

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND JUSTICE

Monday, April 14, 2025

MINUTE NO. 4

4:08 p.m. — Legislative Chamber

1. Present: Blaine McLeod in the chair and members Hon. Jamie Martens, Megan Patterson, Jacqueline Roy, Nicole Sarauer,* Brittney Senger,* and Sean Wilson.*

Substituting Members

Nicole Sarauer for Leroy Laliberte

Brittney Senger for Betty Nippi-Albright

Sean Wilson for Racquel Hilbert

2. The committee considered Bill No. 6, The Safe Public Spaces (Street Weapons) Act.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General and the following officials appeared before the committee and answered questions:

Witnesses

Hon. Tim McLeod, Minister

Darcy McGovern, Executive Director, Public Law

Neil Karkut, Senior Crown Counsel

3. The question being put on clause 1-1, it was agreed to.

4. During consideration of clause 1-2, it was moved by the Hon. Jamie Martens:

Strike out the definition of “street weapon” in Clause 1-2 of the printed Bill and substitute the following:

“ ‘street weapon’ means any of the following:

(a) a knife;

(b) a sword;

(d) a hatchet;

(e) an axe;

(f) a hammer;

(g) a sledgehammer;

(h) body armour;

(i) an explosive device;

(j) a hypodermic needle;

(k) fentanyl;

(l) methamphetamine;

(m) a wildlife control product;

(n) any other prescribed item”.

The question being put on the amendment, it was agreed to.

The question being put on clause 1-2 as amended, it was agreed to.

5. The questions being put on clauses 1-3 to 1-5, they were agreed to.

6. The question being put on clause 2-1, it was defeated.

7. The questions being put on clauses 2-2 to 6-1, they were agreed to.

8. It was moved by the Hon. Jamie Martens:

Add the following Clause before Clause 2-2 of the printed Bill:

“Street weapons prohibited in public urban space

2-1(1) Subject to subsections (2) to (7), no person shall possess a street weapon in a public urban space.

(2) Subsection (1) does not render it unlawful for a person to possess an item that may be used as a street weapon in a private place occupied by that person.

(3) Subsection (1) does not render it unlawful for a person to possess an item that may be used as a street weapon for the purpose of transporting the item from the place at which it was lawfully obtained to a place where it may be lawfully stored or used or from that place to another place where the item may be lawfully stored or used.

(4) Subsection (1) does not render it unlawful for a person to possess a wildlife control product in a public urban space if:

(a) the person demonstrates that there was a reasonable risk of threat to the person’s safety by wildlife in that public urban space at the time the person was found in possession of the wildlife control product; and

(b) the wildlife control product in the person’s possession is designed to protect persons against the threat posed by that type of wildlife.

(5) Subsection (1) does not render it unlawful for a person to possess a knife in a public urban space if the person:

(a) requires the knife for the preparation of food in the public urban space; and

(b) reasonably demonstrates that the knife does not constitute a threat to public safety.

(6) Subsection (1) does not render it unlawful for a person to possess a hypodermic needle in a public urban space if the person:

(a) either:

(i) requires the hypodermic needle to administer a valid and lawful medical or veterinary treatment; or

(ii) is in possession of the hypodermic needle on behalf of a person who requires the hypodermic needle to administer a valid and lawful medical or veterinary treatment; and

(b) reasonably demonstrates that the hypodermic needle in the person’s possession does not constitute a threat to public safety.

(7) Subsection (1) does not render it unlawful for a person to possess fentanyl in a public urban space if the person:

(a) either:

(i) has a valid and lawful prescription for the fentanyl; or

(ii) is in possession of the fentanyl on behalf of a person who has a valid and lawful prescription for the fentanyl; and

(b) reasonably demonstrates that the fentanyl in the person’s possession does not constitute a threat to public safety”.

The question being put on new clause 2-1, the Chair exercised a vote pursuant to rule 151(2) and the question was agreed to on the following recorded division:

Yeas — 7

Hon. Jamie Martens, Blaine McLeod, Megan Patterson, Jacqueline Roy, Nicole Sarauer, Brittney Senger, and Sean Wilson

Nays — 0

9. It was moved by the Hon. Jamie Martens:

That the committee report Bill No. 6, The Safe Public Spaces (Street Weapons) Act with amendment.

The question being put, it was agreed to.

10. The committee considered Bill No. 10, The Miscellaneous Statutes (Public Registries Enhancement) Amendment Act, 2024.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General and the following officials appeared before the committee and answered questions:

Witnesses

Hon. Tim McLeod, Minister

Darcy McGovern, Executive Director, Public Law

Catherine Benning, Director, Office of Public Registry Administration

Neil Karkut, Senior Crown Counsel

11. The questions being put on clauses 1 to 12, they were agreed to.

12. It was moved by the Hon. Jamie Martens:

That the committee report Bill No. 10, The Miscellaneous Statutes (Public Registries Enhancement) Amendment Act, 2024 without amendment.

The question being put, it was agreed to.

13. The committee considered Bill No. 11, The Miscellaneous Statutes (Public Registries Enhancement) Amendment Act, 2024 (No. 2) / Loi modificative diverse (amélioration des registres publics) de 2024 (nº 2).

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General and the following officials appeared before the committee and answered questions:

Witnesses

Hon. Tim McLeod, Minister

Darcy McGovern, Executive Director, Public Law

Catherine Benning, Director, Office of Public Registry Administration

Neil Karkut, Senior Crown Counsel

14. The questions being put on clauses 1 to 4, they were agreed to.

15. It was moved by Sean Wilson:

That the committee report Bill No. 11, The Miscellaneous Statutes (Public Registries Enhancement) Amendment Act, 2024 (No. 2) / Loi modificative diverse (amélioration des registres publics) de 2024 (nº 2) without amendment.

The question being put, it was agreed to.

16. The committee recessed from 5:00 p.m. until 5:04 p.m.

17. The committee considered the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

The following ministers and officials appeared before the committee and answered questions:

Witnesses

Hon. Tim McLeod, Minister of Justice and Attorney General

Hon. Alana Ross, Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport

Ministry of Justice and Attorney General

Kimberley Kratzig, Deputy Minister

Max Bilson, Deputy Attorney General

Brad Gurash, Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services

Rory Jensen, Assistant Deputy Minister, Courts and Community Justice

Kylie Head, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Justice Services and Tribunals

Elizabeth Hilts, Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Public Prosecutions

Gina Alexander, Executive Director, Community Safety and Well-Being

Cindy Froehlich, Executive Director, Financial Services

Jeffrey Wagner, Chief Coroner

Legal Aid Saskatchewan

Jayne Mallin, Chief Executive Officer

18. The committee adjourned consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

19. The committee recessed from 7:40 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

20. The committee considered the 2025–26 estimates and 2024–25 supplementary estimates no. 2 for the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety and the Firearms Secretariat.

The Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety and the following officials appeared before the committee and answered questions:

Witnesses

Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety

Hon. Tim McLeod, Minister

Denise Macza, Deputy Minister

Josh Freistadt, Assistant Deputy Minister, Supervision and Rehabilitation Services

Scott Harron, Assistant Deputy Minister, Custody Services

Wanda Lamberti, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategy and Corporate Services

Corey Zaharuk, Assistant Deputy Minister, Policing and Community Safety

Matthew Mirasty, Executive Director, First Nations and Indigenous Policing

Rob Cameron, Chief Marshal, Saskatchewan Marshals Service

Robert Freeberg, Commissioner, Saskatchewan Firearms Office

Saskatchewan Police Commission

Brent Penner, Executive Director

Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency

Marlo Pritchard, President and Fire Commissioner

Laura Debassige, Vice-President, Corporate Services

Steve Roberts, Vice-President, Operations

Michelle Broda, Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services

Noel McAvena, Executive Director, Provincial Disaster Assistance

21. The committee concluded consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. On motion of Sean Wilson:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2026 the following sum:

For Corrections, Policing and Public Safety — $798,361,000

22. The committee concluded consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for the Firearms Secretariat. On motion of the Hon. Jamie Martens:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2026 the following sum:

For Firearms Secretariat — $8,757,000

23. The committee concluded consideration of the 2024–25 supplementary estimates no. 2 for the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. On motion of Megan Patterson:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2025 the following sum:

For Corrections, Policing and Public Safety — $78,413,000

24. The committee concluded consideration of the 2024–25 supplementary estimates no. 2 for the Firearms Secretariat. On motion of the Hon. Jamie Martens:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2025 the following sum:

For Firearms Secretariat — $1,463,000

25. The committee considered the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Government Relations.

26. The committee concluded consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Government Relations. On motion of Sean Wilson:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2026 the following sum:

For Government Relations — $780,921,000

27. The committee considered the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

28. The committee concluded consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General. On motion of Megan Patterson:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2026 the following sum:

For Justice and Attorney General — $247,943,000

29. The committee considered the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport.

30. The committee concluded consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. On motion of the Hon. Jamie Martens:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2025 the following sum:

For Parks, Culture and Sport — $100,437,000

31. The committee considered the 2025–26 estimates for Tourism Saskatchewan.

32. The committee concluded consideration of the 2025–26 estimates for Tourism Saskatchewan. On motion of Sean Wilson:

Resolved, that there be granted to His Majesty for the twelve months ending March 31, 2026 the following sum:

For Tourism Saskatchewan — $19,278,000

33. It was moved by Sean Wilson:

That the first report of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice be adopted and presented to the Assembly.

The question being put, it was agreed to.

34. The committee adjourned at 10:27 p.m. to the call of the Chair.

Blaine McLeod, Chair

Anne Drake, Committee Clerk

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