‘It’s time to act’: Sask. NDP responds to lack of new provincial measures

The Saskatchewan NDP thinks the provincial government is still reacting too slowly to avoid a crushing COVID-19 wave.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili said Wednesday the current situation reminds him of an old story about a person who is jumping out of a plane with a parachute for the first time but refusing to pull the ripcord because they believe they have lots of time left.

“This is what we are seeing from (Premier) Scott Moe. This is what he is doing. He has had so many opportunities when people have said, ‘Pull the ripcord.’ It’s time to act,” Meili said.

A provincial update Wednesday saw the extension of the current public health orders and mask mandate, but no new measures were brought in despite surging Omicron cases.

Instead, Moe said there isn’t any indication that restrictions in other provinces are working, with other provinces seeing record numbers of cases and hospitalizations despite enhanced measures.

During the update, chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said he believed reducing gatherings and limiting the number of people who are interacting with each other could reduce the case numbers and keep hospitalizations low.

The message from Moe was people should trust themselves when determining if they should gather or not.

“We are asking Saskatchewan people to use their judgment when they do feel it is necessary to come together,” Moe said.

“Saskatchewan people should most certainly trust themselves. We have been saying time and time again to do your own personal risk assessment (and) avail yourself to the tools that are available. That is ultimately what is going to keep yourself and your family members (and) those around you that you love safe.”

Meili admitted that was a weird thing for Moe to say and people should listen to health officials above all else.

“Scott Moe has been really cozying up to some of the most extreme elements in the province — the Unified Grassroots people who are against vaccinations and really pushing that personal choice narrative,” Meili said. “You have the right to your own opinion but you don’t have the right to your own facts and they are facts that we are facing.

“We have a very serious transmissible virus spreading through the province and the people who understand that are public health experts. It’s not Scott Moe and it’s not you or me. We need to look to those experts, learn from them and follow their advice.”

Meili said when Moe uses language like “personal responsibility,” it is intentional to appeal to a base of people who are against public health measures.

“For the premier to continue to cozy up to those extreme elements — elements that are advocating policies and actions that will cost people their lives (and) that will overwhelm our health-care system, this is not leadership,” Meili said. “It’s not courage. It’s an incredible level of cowardliness and foolishness in a serious situation.”

Meili and the NDP are calling for an Omicron plan to tackle the issue before it has a large impact on health-care services.

Meili said that includes keeping schools open but doing it safely, bringing in paid sick leave, bringing in appropriate public health measures including limiting gatherings, supporting Saskatchewan businesses by allowing them to access federal supports, bringing in provincial supports and bringing in a hospital surge plan.

Meili said Moe hasn’t shown any interest in bringing in paid sick leave.

“That’s a real failure. Paid sick leave is essential to help keep people safe because more people will be able to make that choice when they are sick or when they know they are a contact to not go to their workplace and infect others,” Meili said.

“We know costs are rising. We know people have had a hard couple of years when it comes to the dollars coming in. There are lots of people who can’t afford to stay home and take the risk.”