SaskatchewanThe Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the province to release a collection of documents outlining complaints and investigations into Saskatchewan Marshals Service after the Opposition party submitted a Freedom of Information request and got back nearly 300 pages of redacted emails and documents.Freedom of Information (FOI) request yielded 290 pages of redacted emails and documentsAliyah Marko-Omene · CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoThe Official Opposition submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request for all documents related to allegations of misconduct or investigations into the Saskatchewan Marshals Service from November 2022 to May 2025. (Katie Swyers/CBC)The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on the province to release a collection of documents outlining a complaints and investigations into Saskatchewan Marshals Service after the Opposition party submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and got back nearly 300 pages of redacted emails and documents.The NDP had requested all documents related to allegations of misconduct or investigations into the marshals service from November 2022 to May 2025.”This pattern of secrecy and lack of transparency is deeply troubling,” NDP MLA Nicole Sarauer said at a Thursday morning news conference. She said even the dates of the emails had been redacted.”That’s a lot of documents, especially for a police force that wasn’t even doing any on the ground work until this summer.” New Sask. marshals service now expected to be operational next year instead of 2026 The NDP is calling on Minister for Justice, Policing, Corrections and Public Safety Tim McLeod and Legislative Secretary Michael Weger to be “transparent” with the province and release the documents.The Opposition party said it has already written to the provincial ombudsman to ask for an investigation into the conduct of the marshals service. The NDP has also referred its concerns about the redacted records to the office of Saskatchewan’s information and privacy commissioner.”The minister can keep trying to hide it, but the details of this scandal will come out. Folks talk in Saskatchewan,” Sarauer said.Sarauer pointed to a complaint made in May, before the service was officially working, about an officer who resigned after the complaint was made. She asked what kind of vetting process happened before that person was hired.”The minister needs to clear the air, explain what happened and also explain what he has done since to ensure that this never happens again,” Sarauer said.”It’s not very often a police force receives a public complaint before even starting to work.… It really makes one wonder what this person did.” Saskatchewan Marshals employee investigated after complaint is no longer with police force Sarauer said Thursday it was still unclear from the documents if all 290 are regarding the marshal who has since resigned, or there are multiple complaints against the marshal service.In an email to CBC Friday morning, the Saskatchewan Marshal Service said the documents relate to a single complaint concerning one employee’s conduct, not multiple complaints against the service.”The member voluntarily resigned and is no longer employed with the Saskatchewan Marshals Service,” the email said.A spokesperson for the Government of Saskatchewan emailed a statement to CBC Thursday.”Decisions regarding Freedom of Information access requests are made internally by the permanent head of the organizations involved in the request, without the involvement of the elected,” it said. IIn this case, that would be the chief marshal of the marshals service, it said.The spokesperson said the NDP has attempted to pressure and dictate the decisions of not just one, but two oversight bodies, the Public Complaint Commission’s (PCC) and the ombudsman.”This not only undermines the independence of these offices but sets a dangerous precedent of politicizing processes that are explicitly designed to be neutral and non-partisan,” the email said. Sask. NDP call for ombudsman investigation into complaint against Marshals employee The PCC’s investigation into the complaint involving the marshal service has been completed and has been provided to the service for its review and action, according to the province. “The PCC is an independent, civilian-led body,” the spokesperson said. “The Minister of Justice and Attorney General does not direct the day-to-day operations of the Commission.”ABOUT THE AUTHORAliyah Marko-Omene is a reporter for CBC Saskatchewan. She has previously worked for CBC and Toronto Star in Toronto. You can reach her at aliyah.marko@cbc.ca. With files from Katie Swyers
Sask. NDP calls on province to release nearly 300 pages on marshal misconduct complaint, investigation
