Former Sask. Party MLA Greg Lawrence pleads guilty in assault case

Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence has been sentenced to 12 months probation – after pleading guilty to one count of assault.

Lawrence was in Moose Jaw Provincial Court Wednesday for sentencing. Originally facing two charges, stemming from an incident in February of 2019, the Crown dropped the assault by choking charge following Lawrence’s plea.

He will serve no time behind bars – as long as the conditions of his 12-month conditional discharge are met.

They include keeping the peace and being of good behavior, appearing before the court if required and notifying a probation officer or the court in advance of changing his name, address or occupation.

Furthermore, Lawrence is barred from having contact in any way with the victim and cannot be within 50 metres of their home or workplace.

Additionally, a victim surcharge was ordered. 

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The former representative for Moose Jaw Wakamow, Lawrence had resigned from the Saskatchewan Party caucus on Jan. 30 amid an active police investigation "unrelated to his duties as an MLA."

A day later, he was officially charged by the Moose Jaw Police Service.

The service began its initial investigation in the summer of 2023 after it received “historic complaints of assault” involving Lawrence.

Lawrence was absent from the legislative chambers for the better part of his last year in office. In August of 2023, he was involved in a motorcycle crash – which led to a several week recovery in hospital.

He sat as an independent following his resignation from government caucus.

He did not seek re-election in Saskatchewan’s provincial election in October.