Concerned community members gathered in Saskatoon yesterday to call on the provincial government to keep the Human Rights Commission a non-partisan entity.

One of the rally participants, Fran Forsberg, says the former Saskatchewan Human Rights Commissioner, Heather Kuttai, resigned in 2023 due to the Sask. Party government’s Parental Bill of Rights, and was replaced with Sask. Party member and donor, Alan Thomorat.

Darcy Warrington, Sask. NDP candidate for Saskatoon-Stonebridge, says Thomorat wasn’t the only one that shouldn’t have been appointed. To add to the list are Sask. Party candidate for Saskatoon South East, the current president of Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre’s constituency association, and Darlene Cooper, a major Sask. Party donor.

“These people have been replaced by Sask. Party supports, and that not what the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission is supposed to be. The whole atmosphere of the Human Rights Commission has definitely changed,” Forsberg stated.

Leader of the Saskatchewan Progressive Conservatives, Rose Buscholl, says people need to have the security of knowing their complaints to the human rights commission will be listened to in a non-biased fashion.

“What the Sask. Party is doing, by appointing their supporters, is they’re saying, ‘your rights don’t matter’. It is a way for them to be bullies in the playground, which they have done for the past how many years,” Buscholl explained.

The rally took place outside of Justice Minister Eyre’s office in Saskatoon. The group called for her to resign from her position, due to her conflict-of-interest violation as well as her lack of regard for human rights in Saskatchewan. Forsberg, says the Sask. Party’s behavior will not only affect trans youth, but also the homeless and people of colour.