Sask. United Party picks up pair of former Sask. Party MLAs

The Saskatchewan United Party has named two candidates who represented the Saskatchewan Party as MLAs in the past.

Greg Brkich and Denis Allchurch were both elected in 1999 under the Saskatchewan Party banner.

Brkich represented Arm River-Watrous for more than 20 years. He decided not to seek re-election in 2020.

He spent time in a variety of roles, most notably as Government House Leader for nearly two years.

Brkich will run in the constituency of Saskatoon Southeast.

"Greg's years of experience and service as a former Saskatchewan MLA make him an incredible addition to our Sask. United team," Leader Jon Hromek posted on social media Monday.

Allchurch, was elected in 1999 in Rosthern-Shellbrook and served until 2011. He was defeated in a contested party nomination by now-Premier Scott Moe in 2011.

"It's great to have Denis, an experienced and capable former Saskatchewan MLA, join Sask United as one of our newest candidates," Hromek said Monday.

Allchurch is running in Meadow Lake.

Allchruch and Brkich join Saskatchewan Rivers representative Nadine Wilson as former Saskatchewan Party MLAs running for the Sask. United Party.

In 2022, Wilson tabled an affidavit from Allchurch and another former government MLA Jason Dearborn. It related to a hidden camera surveillance incident involving the Saskatchewan Party Opposition in 2002. Wilson had raised the issue as the government was restructuring security at the legislature through Bill 70.

Brkich final speech condemned by Moe

In July 2020, in his final speech as a retiring MLA, Brkich made comments that drew criticism from Moe.

"You know, that doesn't change history, and history wasn't that great back then," Brkich said in reference to symbols of the past being torn down due to present-day attitudes.

Brkich warned MLAs not to be swayed by "social activists" who he viewed as a "very loud" and "very small minority."

He concluded by saying he aimed to treat people with respect, "so, to me, all lives matter. Thank you Mr. Speaker."

Premier Scott Moe was asked about Brkich's comment and said "those comments shouldn't have been made in the House."

"They shouldn't have been made by the individual, due to the controversy of this conversation, and they're just not helpful to where we are going as a society and the conversation that we are having as a society."

In June 2020, then-Manitoba premier Brian Pallister was criticized for using "all lives matter." He said he was not familiar that the phrase was used as a retort to Black Lives Matter. He later apologized.