5 candidates in Saskatchewan election have impaired driving convictions

Five candidates running in Saskatchewan's April 4 election have had impaired driving convictions, including three from the Saskatchewan Party and two from the Saskatchewan NDP.

Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall says he's "more than comfortable" knowingthree of his candidateshavepast criminal convictions, addingthat parties need to be accountable for the teams they put together.

On Monday, when asked by areporter how many Saskatchewan Party candidates have criminal convictions, he confirmed there are three: Terry Dennis, who's runningCanora-Pelly;Eric Olauson, who's running in Saskatoon University; and Scott Moe, who's running inRosthern-Shellbrook.

Former Canora mayorDennis was twice convicted for impaired driving. Moe and Olauson also have impaired driving offencesin their pasts.

Charges against SaskatchewanParty candidates

According to information released by the SaskatchewanParty, the charges against Dennis werefrom 1979 and 2001. He was 17 years old at the time of his first offence.

The SaskatchewanParty saidDennis has been open abouthis past mistakes. Dennis was elected as mayor of Canora four times after the convictions.

Moe was charged with impaired drivingwhen he was 18yearsold in 1992. He spoke with the local newspaper in his area,theShellbrook Chronicle, before running for office.

Olauson was charged twicein 1992 and 1993 for impaired driving. The SaskatchewanParty has said that he has since receivedtreatment and counselling.

Olauson told CBC News those convictions happened a long time ago and he's been sober for the past seven years.

"You know, I'm not proud of it,I don't condone it, but it's part of what makes me who I am today, and I'm proud of what I've done since then and I'll continue to do that work," Olauson said.

Olauson's first brush with the law happened on the way to a Saskatchewan Roughrider game when police pulled him over for speeding that led to one impaired driving charge. The second instance happened when he was on his way home from a party and was pulled over just a few blocks away from home. The Saskatoon city councillorsaid he was in his early 20s and has learned his lesson.

"Was it the right thing to do?Absolutely not. Iwould never condone it and I would feel sick if my kids, who are now getting to that age, did it, but I'm proud of the way I responded to it and Ihaven't done it since and I don't plan on doing it again."

'We're more than comfortable, more than comfortable having them as candidates and want them to beMLAs, want them to be part of our team.'- Saskatchewan Party Leader Brad Wall

Wall defended the three as candidates, including Dennis, saying he wants to have him in the legislature, representing constituents of the town and its surrounding area.

"These things are disclosed to us and decisions are made," Wall said.

"And Iexpect similar things are disclosed to other parties. It's partof our vetting."

"We make a decision on a case-by-case basis, about what the person's done to turn things around, how they've contributed since. And in these three instanceswe're more than comfortable, more than comfortable, having them as candidates and want them to be MLAs, want them to be part of our team."

2 NDP candidates also have impaired driving convictions

The NDP also released information stating that two of itscandidateshad convictions, after the SaskatchewanParty made public the information regarding itscandidates earlier in the day.

DwayneLasas,who is running in Meadow Lake, and Lyle Whitefish, who isrunning in Saskatchewan Rivers, faced charges and paid fines relating todrinking and driving, the party said.

Lasas was convicted in 1990.Whitefish saidhis chargedates back "more than five years."

The NDP has saidboth of these candidates disclosed these charges before joining the party.

The NDPsaid that while it does not condone drinking and driving, both candidates have made clearthey regret their actions. The party has also said that it hasbeen reassured by both men's behaviour since the charges.

Social media posts also an issue

NDP Leader Cam Brotenalso spoke Mondayabout candidates' behaviour on social media. With the campaign less than a week old, four NDP candidates have already been dropped as a result of things they once said in online posts.

The internetis full of bad humour, and off-colour jokes, but a line can be crossed when it comes to certain issues, Brotensaid at a campaign stop in Regina.

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In his comments on Monday, Wall referred to one of the NDP ex-candidates, Saskatoon-Northwest's Clayton Wilson, who was cut for making a sexist post on Twitter.

"When his commentswere disrespectfulofwomenand making light of sexual harassment, I would say,there's the example of probably crossing the line," Wall said. "Mr. Brotenagreed withthat."