Saskatchewan marshals special unit paused, new gear purchase called off: minister

Saskatchewan's community safety minister has halted plans to purchase specialized equipment for the province's marshals service, according to a statement from the ministry. The Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS) had requested items such as night vision goggles, sniper rifles, and a multi-shot launcher. However, the service has stated that no actual purchases had been made, as the unit was incorporated into the current budget.

Minister Michael Weger told reporters that he had instructed the SMS to cease any development or purchase of the specialized response unit. He claimed that he was unaware of the unit's development until a briefing last Thursday. Weger described the SMS's request as "overly ambitious" and said the unit was not yet ready for implementation.

Opposition NDP associate shadow minister for community safety, Hugh Gordon, criticized the government's decision, calling it "putting the cart before the horse" and stating that the government was shifting blame to an unnamed SMS employee. He argued that the time and resources wasted on the bid could have been used to support other important initiatives, such as recovery programs and addressing staffing shortages.