(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

Provincial politics

Cockrill faces reelection campaign with a mix of controversies and ambition

Sep 12, 2024 | 11:17 AM

Within four years, Jeremy Cockrill rocketed from political newbie to carrying what is arguably the most contentious portfolio in the province today. With that role, he’s faced his fair share of public scrutiny and soon it will be up to his electorate to determine if how he handled it warrants a passing grade.

“I’m not perfect,” he said in an interview with battlefordsNOW. “We’re all going to make mistakes as time goes on, but as long as you can have the humility to apologize for those mistakes, I think that is what it is all about.”

The MLA for Battlefords and Minister of Education is running for reelection next month, pending writ drop. He said he’s here to lead the Battlefords to a better place and with that, comes facing criticism.

Most recently, Cockrill reacted to an incident in a Saskatoon high school where one student was charged with lighting another student on fire. In comments to the media, Cockrill used the phrase ‘…it could have been worse.’ In context, he suggested the situation could have been more out of control had help, including a school resource officer and a teacher who put out the flames, not been nearby.

Cockrill admitted he chose his words poorly.

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“That is an incredibly bold act by that teacher, and that teacher should be highly commended. Thank goodness we had a school resource officer at Evan Hardy that day who could apprehend the assailant immediately. My comments on Monday meant it could have been worse without those people,” he said.

It’s not the first time Cockrill atoned for a gaffe. Back in April, he apologized in the legislature after a meeting with a woman whose first-born daughter had died. Their meeting was to discuss negotiations with the teacher’s union, particularly regarding supports for students with extra needs. During the conversation, Cockrill rhetorically asked if the province’s teachers expected him to ‘give up his first-born child’ to which the woman took offence.

As education minister, he faced the brunt of criticism from the Saskatchewan Teacher’s Federation during negotiations.

“We’re probably going to get a signed contract early in the New Year, so we’re looking forward to that,” he said.

The Parents’ Bill of Rights was introduced last October and it ruffled more than just a few feathers. The Bill makes parental consent required before a child under 16 can use a different gender-related name or pronoun at school.

Cockrill is also currently facing a conflict of interest investigation. The NDP alleges the MLA appears to have wrongfully cashed in on government contracts through the private business Fortress Windows and Doors which his in-laws have operated in the Battlefords for over 30 years.

“They’ve been doing work with government entities long before I lived here, long before I was an MLA. You know, I’ve never owned shares in that company. I’ve never been an officer or a director,” he said. “It’s frustrating because what would be a way to recuse myself? Do I have to leave my family to be an MLA?”

Cockrill said he’s confident the ethics commissioner will prove his innocence.

Looking toward the future and with hopes for a second term, Cockrill said he will ensure continuous investments in the province. He believes a strong economy and affordable cost of living are the foundation for prosperity.

He also hopes to continue working with the federal government to develop more policies that could make use of Saskatchewan’s natural resources.

“We grow an incredible amount of food that mines an incredible amount of fertilizer that gets sent all over the world so other countries can grow food in their jurisdictions. This is a province that produces uranium for clean nuclear energy around the world. Yet these are pretty carbon-intensive industries, and the carbon tax impacts what happens here in Saskatchewan, and the federal government has failed to recognize that,” he said.

“We need to ensure that we have a provincial government that will continue to stand up to Ottawa and defend Saskatchewan’s interests.”

The official election date is expected to be on or around Oct. 28. Other confirmed candidates from the Battlefords area includes Tom Kroczynski for the NDP.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com