REGINA – A rookie MLA was named interim leader of the Saskatchewan Liberals Nov. 15.
Ron Osika, elected in the Melville constituency in June, was unanimously chosen by the caucus after Lynda Haverstock’s abrupt resignation Nov. 12.
Osika, a 25-year veteran of the RCMP and a Reform party candidate in 1993, told reporters he will not be seeking the leadership when a convention is held.
He said he wants to get on with leading an effective opposition
“Our party, and our caucus, has been through some trying times in the past couple of days, probably the most trying we’ll face in our time together in the legislature,” he said. “We will not let the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan down. We will not let the people of Saskatchewan down in our efforts to serve as Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition on their behalf.”
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Meanwhile, Haverstock and her executive assistant, Vonda Croissant, vacated the caucus office during the evening of Nov. 13 and moved to a new office on a different floor of the Legislative Building.
Former leader an independent
Haverstock later announced she would be sitting in the legislature as an independent Liberal.
On Nov. 16, Liberal chief of staff Bill McDonald said Croissant’s job had been terminated after she admitted to withdrawing $20,000 from the caucus bank account the morning after the move.
Croissant said she took the money to cover some job-related expenses and for severance because she thought she was going to lose her job. One of the cheques was made out to Haverstock.
McDonald said all the money had been returned and the caucus is not going to take legal action.
“I think she made some errors but I’m not accusing her of wrongdoing,” he said.
McDonald has asked for an audit of the caucus financial records “just to be safe.” He also said financial services like payroll and accounts payable will be contracted to an outside firm.
