Eleven years ago, many Saskatchewan voters were first introduced to Brad Wall in a somewhat whimsical pre-election TV political advertisement — that one in which he quipped that voters may be hearing many things about him, including that he was a closet Calgary Stampeders fan.
In was effective because it positively showcased the charm and vibrant personality of someone who would become a once-in-a-generation Saskatchewan politician.
More critically, it took on the issue of the then-upstart Saskatchewan Party being little more than the old Progressive Conservative party under new management.
But it worked best because it sent a message that this youthful-looking father in front of his kids’ football field could be one to end the haunting, decades-old issue of Saskatchewan youth exiting to Alberta.
For some reason, that ad crept to mind this week with the news that now-retired Brad Wall will be hanging up a shingle in a Calgary law office as a special lobbyist.
Rest assured Wall won’t abandon his beloved Riders for the Stamps. That he will be working out of his Swift Current office and only travelling to Calgary every couple of weeks also means he will remain a Saskatchewan resident … and that he seems to have landed a pretty sweet gig.
There are legitimate ethical issues here that the Saskatchewan Party government doesn’t always get. The retirement of this former premier might very well test the boundaries of the lobbying act and MLAs’ conflict of interest as it should be applied to someone who was premier fewer than four months ago.
It should be noted that while Calgary-based Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP that hired Wall as a special adviser acts for Kinder Morgan Canada, it is not registered in Saskatchewan’s lobbyist registry. The Sask. Party government also says it has so far found no past contracts with this firm.
Nor is Wall the first politician — not even the first premier — to take a private-sector job after public service. If his political career has been any indication, one suspects Wall will be able to nimbly navigate potential conflicts.
Maybe all the success Wall had as a politician — and all the economic success of the province early in his tenure, in particular — is contributing to the collective shoulder shrugs across the province.
What do you do? I guess he can do what he wants. It’s always this way. Too bad.
Of course, those with more visceral reactions tend to be the partisans — either eager to defend the rights of the Sask. Party and Wall to do what they want, or the Sask. Party’s long-standing opponents overly suspicious about both conflicts and how this must somehow be a reward for the homage Wall paid to the Calgary oil sector.
This is often the case in politics, where few ever get to depart completely under their own terms. Wall had the luxury of choosing his timing — a little more than a year after a historic third-term win. However, his long goodbye was tainted by some less favourable events like calling Bill Boyd the DNA of the Sask. Party, the entire Global Transportation Hub land deal still under police investigation, and even the Alberta licence plate nonsense. (NDP Alberta Premier Rachel Notley gently joked on Twitter that her government wouldn’t be checking Wall’s licence plates.)
None of this will likely define Wall’s legacy, but that the province’s ultimate son now is somewhat relocating to Calgary does seem to be a melancholy reminder.
Saskatchewan had long sought the messiah to end the exodus to Calgary. Wall was supposed to be that guy. Now Calgary is where he is going.
Wall leaves behind a record of job growth (albeit, slowed in recent years) and population growth (although we are again losing our children to Alberta).
But that we now see the ultimate Saskatchewan guy employed in Calgary is a sad reminder that some things don’t change.
Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post.
