Saskatchewan MLA Kevin Weedmark Says He Paid Nearly $30,000 for Two Private Jet Trips; NDP Seeks Review
Why It MattersPublicly funded politicians flying privately now face scrutiny over whether charter pricing reflects commercial value, a question that can turn individual charter bookings into compliance and reputational matters for operators and clients.
Saskatchewan Party backbencher Kevin Weedmark says he paid close to $30,000 of his own money for two private jet trips, one of which was for government business. On Tuesday he released a Sept. 18 letter from Maurice Herauf, the province's conflict of interest commissioner, who wrote that Weedmark's invoices indicate he paid for the flights himself and therefore did not violate a section of the Conflict of Interest Act. Because the flights were paid from personal funds, Herauf added, no financial benefit could be attributed to his decisions.
The first trip took place on Aug. 21, 2025, when Weedmark spent $8,271 on a private jet to fly the owners of the Moosomin Dairy Queen and two family members to the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital in Saskatoon for a tour. The Dairy Queen had raised $42,000 for the hospital, and Weedmark was one of its volunteers. Herauf wrote that this trip was private in nature. On Aug. 27 of this year, Weedmark spent $20,106 on another jet for two government functions, with a stop in Regina before flying back to Moosomin. One was the official opening of an addictions treatment facility in Lloydminster; the other was a celebration of the anniversary of a seniors complex in Saskatoon. The letter says the health minister's office requested that Weedmark attend both events, as he is also the minister's legislative secretary. Weedmark has said it would have been difficult to drive to Lloydminster in time, so he chose to fly.
The NDP says Weedmark still needs to show receipts to prove he did not improperly benefit from his role as a legislature member. On Tuesday the party wrote to Herauf asking for an opinion on whether Weedmark breached conflict of interest rules. NDP health critic Meara Conway said she wants to know whether Weedmark paid commercial value for the flights, saying the NDP obtained a private jet quote for a similar aircraft. She said that if the flight was below commercial value, it would be a prohibited gift or personal benefit under the act.
