Political career
Lukiwski was first elected in 2004,winning by 122 votes over Liberal Gary J. Anderson. His predecessor,Larry Spencer,was denied the opportunity to run as a Conservative,despite having served as a member of the Canadian Alliance,due to inflammatory comments he made regarding homosexuality. At the time,Lukiwski criticized Spencer for making the remarks and approved of revoking Spencer's party membership. [1]
Lukiwski was re-elected in the 2006,2008,and 2011 general elections. He served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons,the Hon. Peter Van Loan. [2]
Equalization
As an Opposition MP,Lukiwski argued that non-renewable natural resource revenues,such as revenues from oil and gas,should be excluded from the calculations of the equalization formula. Despite acknowledging that Saskatchewan was no longer a "have-not" province, [14] Lukiwski estimated that Saskatchewan would be between $800 million to $1.5 billion wealthier each year if non-renewable resources were removed from the equalization formula. [15] [16]
On March 22,2005,Lukiwski introduced a motion into the House of Commons calling for changes to the equalization formula. [17] During his speech introducing the motion,Lukiwski stated that "[w]hat we are asking today in this motion is that the non-renewable natural resources should be removed from the equalization formula." [18]
Lukiwski,along with the Conservatives,promised during the 2006 federal election that a Conservative government would remove non-renewable natural resource revenue from the equalization formula. [19] On January 19,2006,only days before the 2006 election,Lukiwski stated that Saskatchewan would be "$2 to 2.5 billion wealthier each and every year" as a result of the changes. [20]
However,once elected,the Conservatives began to indicate that any future equalization program changes would not necessarily be what was promised. [21] [22]
In the federal budget introduced on March 19,2007,the Conservatives introduced changes to the equalization system which imposed caps on payments. This resulted in Saskatchewan not being able to retain 100% of its non-renewable resource revenue. [23] [24] Lukiwski acknowledged that the Conservative changes did not exactly fulfill the Conservative's promise with the changes, [25] [26] stating "If you want to say we didn't fulfil the commitment or keep our promise,fair enough." [27]
The 2007 federal budget passed with the support of the Bloc Québécois.
Videotape controversy
On April 3,2008,the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan released a videotape showing Lukiwski,then 40 years old,making homophobic remarks in 1991. At the time the videotape was made,Lukiwski was the general manager of the Progressive Conservative Party of Saskatchewan led by Grant Devine. [28] In the video,he says:
- "There's A's and there's B's. The A's are guys like me,the B's are homosexual faggots with dirt under their fingernails that transmit diseases." [29] [30]
The release of the tape provoked immediate controversy,including calls for Lukiwski's resignation or removal as a Parliamentary Secretary. [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
Lukiwski apologized for the comments,saying "If I could take those comments back I would... They do not reflect the type of person that I am." [28]
Lukiwski subsequently promised that "I can assure you,Mr. Speaker,and all of my colleagues in this House that I will spend the rest of my career and my life trying to make up for those shameful comments." [36]
However,he failed to attend a May 31,2008,Regina gay pride parade to which he was invited. Gay groups said they were disappointed that Lukiwski failed to respond at all to the invitation. "Mr. Lukiwski stated in his public apology... that he would spend the rest of his life making amends," said gay pride spokesman Nathan Markwart. "Well,when exactly does that kick in? It is clear that his apology is less than sincere and is,in fact,hollow as it has not been followed up with any concerted effort to join our celebrations as an elected official who represents gays and lesbians in Regina and surrounding area." Markwart noted that the disappointment was heightened by their understanding that Lukiwski was in the Regina area on the date of the parade. [37]
Videotape controversy 2
During his victory speech on October 19,2015,Mickey Djuric,then with the Moose Jaw Times-Herald,asserted that Lukiwski called the NDP candidate in the upcoming Saskatchewan elections a "whore". [38] Lukiwski denied the claim,insisting that he referred to "an NDP horde" in his speech. [38] The Times-Herald eventually decided not to run the story,causing Djuric to resign her position in protest,while interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose stated she was satisfied with Lukiwski's explanation. [38]
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