Progressive Conservative Party of Sask. alleges takeover attempt by political rival
The Progressive Conservative (PC) Party of Saskatchewan made allegations of a takeover attempt by a political rival on Wednesday. The PC party claims the new Saskatchewan United Party had been interested in a merger but the attempt failed.
They say an unauthorized attempt took place to rebrand their party and have released documents that they believe prove their claim.
“These emails show a clear attempt of certain individuals within the party trying to take over the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan and rebrand it as the Conservative Party,” said Rose Buscholl, interim leader for the PC party of Saskatchewan.
The alleged plan would have seen PC supporters join forces with what is now known as the Saskatchewan United Party. It would have been called the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan.
The PCs believe their $2 million trust fund make them an attractive takeover target.
“It takes money to get political parties started and I think our trust fund is a magnet as is our name,” said former PC MLA Rick Swenson.
Among documents made public is one titled "Conservative Party Board Action Recommendations." It called for a Saskatoon event to launch the Conservative Party of Saskatchewan.
It says, “At this point we would introduce Nadine Wilson as Interim Leader and give her the support needed to bring in two more MLAs to form caucus.”
“And they would be in business,” said Swenson.
The merger never took place and the new organization adopted the Saskatchewan United name.
In a written statement, the Saskatchewan United Party did not respond to the specific allegations of a merger attempt but did say they will work to bring about serious government reforms that are needed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'For God's sake, stop burning': N.S. premier bans all activity in forests, urges residents to abide by burn ban
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has banned all activity in forests as of Tuesday, and says the wildfire damage is “extensive” and “heartbreaking.”

'We're going to rebuild': Indigenous communities look to recover from devastating wildfires
The East Prairie Métis Settlement is one of several Indigenous communities that were hard-hit by the recent wildfires in Alberta. As the wildfire season rages on, residents and community officials are looking among the ruins, pondering how they’ll recover from all the losses.
North Korea spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into the sea
North Korea's attempt to put the country's first spy satellite into space failed Wednesday in a setback to leader Kim Jong Un's push to boost his military capabilities as tensions with the United States and South Korea rise.
Police identify engaged couple shot dead after dispute with landlord near Hamilton
A young couple shot and killed after a dispute with their landlord near Hamilton have been identified by police.
B.C. teacher who singled out students over their breasts, bathroom-use suspended for 5 days
A B.C. high school teacher is facing a five-day suspension and course requirement after making multiple students feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about their bodies—and it’s not the first time he’s been disciplined in the past decade.
Blue Jays pitcher 'truly sorry' for sharing anti-LGBTQ2S+ video
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass said he is 'truly sorry' for sharing a controversial anti-LGBTQ2S+ video on Instagram.
Low sexual satisfaction linked to memory decline later in life: study
Low sexual satisfaction in middle age could be linked to future memory decline, according to a new study.
5 things to know for Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Federal leaders react to the results of the Alberta election, top artificial intelligence experts raise concerns about the 'risk of extinction,' and a Toronto Bue Jays pitcher issues an apology.
Statistics Canada to release GDP figures for the first quarter of 2023 today
Statistics Canada is set to release today its latest reading on how the economy fared in March, as well as for the first quarter of the year.