Kevin Waugh

Prior to his election as an MP, Waugh had been a longtime sportscaster with CTV Saskatoon. == Political career ==

School Trustee From 2006 to 2015, Waugh served as the Ward 9 Trustee for the Saskatoon Public School Division. Waugh had previously served as President of the Blackstrap Conservative Association while Yelich was the Member of Parliament for the riding. On February 26, 2016, Waugh introduced Bill C-241: An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (school authorities). This legislation would have increased the goods and services tax rebate that schools and school boards received from 68% to 100%, effectively exempting schools from paying the tax. Despite support from members of his own Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Québécois, the bill was defeated at second reading by the Liberal majority. Upon the election of Andrew Scheer as leader of the Conservative Party in May 2017, Waugh was named Deputy Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Indigenous Services, and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Waugh was re-elected with an increased vote count and vote share in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election, receiving more than twice as many votes as his closest challenger. On December 4, 2019, Waugh was elected as the Chair of the Conservative Party's Saskatchewan Regional Caucus. This position is responsible for chairing meetings of the regional caucus and presenting the results and decisions of those meetings to party leadership. During the 43rd Canadian Parliament Waugh's private member bill An Act to amend the Criminal Code (sports betting) (Bill C-218) was adopted to allow a province's lottery corporation to offer betting on single sport events, athletic contests, races and fights. In July 2021, Waugh voted against a bill to ban LGBT conversion therapy. He was one of 62 Conservative MPs to vote against the bill. #BeLikeBruce In recognition of his contributions to the community, retired police officer Bruce Gordon was bestowed the Saskatoon-Grasswood Canada 150 Award by Waugh. In addition to his career as a police officer with the Saskatoon Police Service and dedication to the athletic community, Gordon was a volunteer and offered his time to PRIDE Saskatoon, the Saskatoon Road Runners Club, John Lake Home and School Council, the Saskatoon Sexual Assault Centre, and may other local organizations. ==Bill C-250 (Holocaust-denial amendment)==

In February 2022, Waugh introduced Private Member’s Bill C-250, titled An Act to amend the Criminal Code (prohibition: promotion of antisemitism). He characterized Holocaust denial not merely as offensive speech but as a key driver of radicalization and a direct threat to the Jewish community. This legislative maneuver drew criticism from organizations like the Canadian Bar Association, which objects to the practice of using budget bills to enact substantive, non-financial changes to the Criminal Code, arguing it prevents proper parliamentary scrutiny and debate. The budget act received Royal Assent on June 23, 2022, officially enacting Holocaust denial as a criminal offence in Canada. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) was among the advocacy groups that lauded the new law, crediting Waugh’s initiative with prompting the government to adopt the measure. Public Opposition and Legal Critique The Holocaust-denial provision championed by Waugh drew notable public criticism, particularly during the Senate debate. On June 14, 2022, Senator Paula Simons delivered a prominent speech opposing that section of the omnibus bill. Critics note that Keegstra's prolonged legal saga, which spanned over a decade, inadvertently amplified his public profile and provided him a national stage for his hateful ideology. Further legal critiques focused on the structure of the new offence. The law imports the same defences available for the general hate speech offence, including the defence that the statements communicated were "true". Constitutional Context and Historical Note Despite these criticisms, the law is widely considered to be constitutional. This is based on the Supreme Court of Canada's landmark 1990 ruling in R v Keegstra, which upheld the general hate speech law. For clarity, it is important to distinguish Waugh's 2022 Bill C-250 from an earlier, more famous bill with the same number. In 2004, Bill C-250, introduced by NDP MP Svend Robinson, became law and amended the Criminal Code's hate propaganda sections to include "sexual orientation" as a protected identifiable group. The shared bill number is a coincidence of parliamentary procedure. Controversies On February 2, 2022, Waugh posted a picture on his Twitter page of himself, as well as former Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer, Battlefords-Lloydminster MP Rosemarie Falk, Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan MP Fraser Tolmie, Regina-Lewvan MP Warren Steinley and Sen. Denise Batters standing with the Saskatchewan flag at the Freedom Convoy 2022. The mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, demanded an apology, as he felt the protestors actions were not welcomed and that "MPs and senator in the picture should know better." == Personal life ==

Kevin Waugh lives in Saskatoon with his wife Ann, with whom he has two children and one granddaughter. ==Electoral record==

Federal Provincial Municipal ==References==