The assault charge against Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Nadine Wilson related to an incident that involved an 87-year-old woman and her son is going to mediation instead of through the criminal courts. Should the mediation prove successful, the criminal charge against Wilson will be dropped.

According to Wilson's lawyer, this was a case that did not warrant a public trial. He explained, "This is not the kind of thing that there was a public interest in having a dispute aired in a criminal courtroom.”

According to Brayford, it is common for matters such as this to be diverted out of the criminal courts, which allows an independent prosecutor to examine the allegations and let the parties come up with a better, more efficient resolution.

Should mediation be successful, the criminal charge against Wilson will be withdrawn. If mediation fails, the matter will return to court October 7th.

The original incident in question occurred in March of 2019. According to the complaint filed by Lorraine Kingsley Helbig and her son Eric Hocknes. Kingsley Helbig was married to Wilson’s father until his recent death in February 2019. The alleged victims claim the incident stemmed from an ongoing legal dispute.

Brayford further explained "Mediation is clearly the appropriate way. This is an emotional, difficult time for all of the relatives."

Though this incident involved a public figure, mediation is often used in situations such as this because it alleviates pressure on the over-crowded court system and ensures that matters will be resolved in as efficient method as possible.