REGINA 鈥� Former Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall returned to the provincial legislature on Wednesday for the first since his retirement from politics four years ago to attend a ceremony unveiling his official portrait.聽
The event included Premier Scott Moe, former NDP premier Lorne Calvert, and other dignitaries.
The portrait was revealed to Wall and his family several years after he sat for the photo on which it is based.
"Nothing reminds you of your age more than seeing either a photo, or in this case, a painting from (nearly 15) years ago," Wall said Wednesday.聽
He admitted he got a sneakpeekof the portrait and was thrilled with how it turned out.聽
Wall chose Phil Richards to paint his portrait shortly after he was elected as premier in 2007.聽
The portrait took four and a half months of work over a two-year span, and features Wall in a three-piece suit seated in the premier's office.聽
Wall said he is surrounded by meaningful objects including photos of his wife Tammy and a Model 1967 Dodge, which he jokingly called his "mid-life crisis."
"I love them both," Wall said.聽
In Wall's hand is a copy of the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth. A painting of scenery near Swift Current, his hometown, can be seen over his shoulder.
Richards is known as one of Canada's most important portrait painters with commissions that include the official Diamond Jubilee portrait of Queen Elizabeth.
Wall was first elected as the member of the legislature for Swift Current in 1999 and served as the 14th premier of Saskatchewan for 11 years starting in 2007, becoming the first premier for the governing Saskatchewan Party.聽
Moe called Wall one of the most popular and successful leaders inSaskatchewan'shistory, overseeing growth in the province.聽
"He met those challenges by virtue of his vision, his dedication, his compassion, and, above all, his unshakable belief in the potential of this province and its people 鈥� a legacy that will continue to inspire and inform us all into the future."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2022.聽
Mickey Djuric, The Canadian Press
