Head Tale

Image from LeaderPost.com

Here’s a few random thoughts on yesterday’s resignation (from Cabinet but not as a sitting MLA) of Don McMorris, who was Saskatchewan’s Deputy Premier and (ironically) Minister Responsible for Sask Government Insurance (SGI) and Sask Liquor & Gaming Authority (SLGA).

• McMorris was apparently caught on his way back to Regina from Fort Qu’Appelle so unfortunately, it’s not just a matter of skipping a $20 cab ride which is at least an option for intoxicated drivers in a city, whether they take it or not.
• The rural nature of our province is definitely a factor in Saskatchewan having the highest rate of drunk driving per capita in Canada.
• I can see both sides of the argument – on one hand, McMorris made a mistake as numerous other people have (one person in my family received a 24-hour suspension and another lost their license.  I’ve never had a DUI but had to blow once and blew under the limit after leaving a bar.  But my blood alcohol level was definitely trending upwards and if the timing was different or the cop in a different frame of mind, who knows what could have happened?)  On the other hand, the guy is (was) the Minister for SGI and even very recently promoted anti-drunk driving programs so yeah, this looks *really* bad on him compared to some 20-year old college kid who gets caught or even a 50-something yahoo who gets busted at Craven or whatever.
• I also wonder if people’s reactions would be different if he’d not just been caught but if he’d been in an accident or, god forbid, killed someone.
• On the question of whether he should lose his job or not, that usually depends on whether your job requires you to drive and/or if you have some company policy about not having DUI’s/criminal records and/or if your position is high profile/role model-type position. One comparable with another high profile case that comes to mind is Manfred Joeneck (sp?) who quit as Regina’s CTV supper news anchor after being caught drinking and driving although I think he had a couple other drinking and driving incidents that may have played a part in him leaving (being asked to leave?) as well?
• I don’t know if he’s had any previous DUI-type infractions but if f I remember correctly, McMorris was visibly well into his cups on Election Night and given the size of the Sask Party victory, that might be expected. But in hindsight, that may have been another indication that he was making bad choices. I know many people (across the political spectrum) expressed disappointment at the time that McMorris was acting more like the rude drunk uncle who grabs the mic at a wedding than a politician at the highest level of government.
• [Edit: More info has come to light.  McMorris was driving back to Regina at *noon* on a Friday in a *government vehicle* and was caught in a *reduced speed construction zone*.  None of those things should make his offense any worse than being caught at midnight in his own car on a regular highway.  But the reality is that all three keep adding up to make this a *very* egregious violation, above and beyond his role as a high-profile Minister with responsibility for both safe driving and liquor sales.]
• [Edit 2: Oh, and he was apparently a high school driver’s ed teacher before entering politics.  Of course…]