Former Sask. NDP MLA says party’s approach to opposing involuntary treatment was reason for departure

Former NDP MLA Betty Nippi-Albright says she quit the party over its handling of involuntary addictions treatment. Wayne Mantyka reports.

Betty Nippi-Albright says her decision to leave the Saskatchewan NDP stemmed from disagreements over the party’s opposition to the province’s newly passed Compassionate Intervention Act.

The now independent MLA spoke to reporters Wednesday morning, revealing she would be releasing expert analysis on Bill 48, which was facilitated by her office.

The Compassionate Intervention Act has received intense criticism from health care professionals, addiction experts and medical organizations for promoting and allowing involuntary treatment.

Nippi-Albright claimed Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck told her not to table the expert’s report – while accusing Beck of being “performative” in her opposition to the legislation.

“That is performative, because in the speech before we voted on this, Carla was talking about, ‘We’re against this. We don’t want this.’ But in the second breath, she’s saying, ‘Yeah, we’re for forced treatment,’” Nippi-Albright told reporters, claiming Beck used language closely mirroring the governments’ in her statements against the legislation.

The MLA went on to say that her decision was driven by her need to properly represent her constituents.

“This is not about me. I didn’t enter politics for some grandiose idea that I was going to be somewhere, all I want to do is do an effective job for the people that elected me, and I want to do that with integrity,” she added.

‘Surprised and a bit puzzled’

Speaking to reporters later Wednesday, Beck said Nippi-Albright’s decision came as a genuine surprise – while directly countering several of the MLA’s claims.

“I remain surprised and a bit puzzled by the response that we’ve seen, I think the evidence is pretty clear that there has been some mischaracterization of what’s happened here,” she said.

Beck claimed Nippi-Albright was told not to table the report in its entirety and pointed to the 17 amendments to the legislation proposed by the Sask. NDP as proof the party was taking the report’s findings seriously.

“There was no muzzling of talk of that report,” she said. “As I said, the recommendations in the report and the amendments were put forward.”

All of the amendments were ultimately blocked by the government. The legislation was passed on Tuesday, with all opposition party members voting against.

• Sask. passes measures for involuntary addictions treatment

“I would say that I don’t think that Betty is being completely honest in her representation of how things went,” Beck added. “But I can say this with all sincerity – I do wish her all the best. I’ve never doubted her desire to do better for the people of this province and again I do wish her all the best.”