Sask Rivers candidate Rustulka denies bribery allegation

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A candidate for trustee in the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division denies that she was attempting to bribe voters when she offered a chance to win a $50 gift card for sharing her campaign page.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Oct. 21, advocate Caitlin Erickson posted a screen capture of one of Cherie Rustulka’s posts on the WTF Prince Albert Facebook. The post offered a chance to win a $50 gift card on Nov. 12 (the day before the election) for sharing her campaign page.

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“I never at any point said that I was buying votes,” Rustulka said in an interview with the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “I was sharing my page. If you look at it, there’s nowhere on it (saying) that I was asking for a vote. I was just sharing my bio.”

Rustalka said she was not surprised the accusation came from Erickson. Erickson is a former student at Legacy Christian Academy in Saskatoon, and is one of several students involved in a class action lawsuit against the Academy. One of Legacy’s former staff members facing charges, Duff Friesen, was teaching at Regent Academy in Prince Albert when he was charged. Embassy Church operated Regent Academy before closing it down in 2024.

Rustalka said the intent of her post is being misconstrued.

“That post was up for maybe five minutes and then I recognized that maybe this could be twisted so I took it down,” Rustukla said.

According to Prince Albert returning officer Terri Mercier the post did not violate campaign finance rules, but could be challenged in court after an election takes place.

Rustulka said she chose to run for trustee because she has always been involved in education, has children, and did some work with the Catholic School Division.

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“I just saw the need for policy change,” she said.

Rustukla worked as an educational assistant. She said there is a need for more staff members in that position.

Beyond that, Rustulka said she hopes to make a difference.

“Working with the community, working with the board, working with the teachers, hoping to make a difference where I can is why I decided to run for it.”

She said she has experience making policy decisions thanks to her time serving on local boards.

“I have had experience working with autism services so I have knowledge (of) special needs as a mom of foster kids and a neurodivergent child,” she said.

Rustulka said that there is a need for more supports, not just bodies, in schools.

She has also worked at Eagle’s Nest Youth Ranch, a 24/7 program for youth experiencing social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and understands the need for mental health supports, like counsellors and Elders, in schools.

“I’m reading in their policy and in their legacy (document) that they have started creating that, that environment and that community,” she explained.

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Rustulka said that one of her strengths is an ability to work with a team and be open to different points of view. She also wants to work more with parents and children.

“I want to build. I want to hear everybody,” Rustulka said.

“I think that we need to tackle this thing that happened with the transgender rights. I think that we need to look at that a little bit better and see how we can create a community instead of having a divide,” Rustulka said.

She added that she also wants to mend the divides and create an environment that recognizes parents need to have a say.

“These are minors, right? We can’t be knocking on the parents,” she said. “As a parent that angers me. We have to be having this communication and dialogue that creates a harmonious environment and that would be some of my goals.”

Rustulka added that she loves Prince Albert and wants to teach children morals, values and respect.

“Let’s build a better community,” she said. “Let’s try and fix what is broken together, not separately. Let’s change the narrative and say our city is beautiful because words are powerful.”

Rustukla concluded by saying that she would be open minded to all perspectives if elected. She said that it’s important to create an environment that everyone is heard.

The Municipal and School Board elections are scheduled for Nov. 13.

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