‘Embarrassing,’ ‘infuriating’: NDP frustrated over lack of public health mandates

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili didn’t pull any punches Friday when reacting to the provincial government’s announcement an hour before.

“The premier of this province is choosing to allow Saskatchewan people to die when he has other options. This is embarrassing, it’s infuriating, and it’s deeply sad because people who could be with us for years and years and years will instead be gone because of the choices of this premier,” Meili said in reference to Scott Moe.

On Friday, the provincial government announced a series of changes within the health-care system to help it cope with the surge of COVID-19 cases, as well as a return to mandatory isolation for anyone who has tested positive. But no masking or vaccine mandates were announced as many had been asking for.

“He talked about choices for others. He pointed the finger elsewhere. He refused to reveal any of the choices he has made (and) he refused to take any responsibility for his choices,” Meili said of Moe.

“He chose to give up on Saskatchewan people when he knew this wasn’t over. He chose to downplay the seriousness, as he has at every point in this COVID-19 crisis.”

Meili said the phrase “too little, too late” doesn’t even apply in this situation because, he said, Moe isn’t doing anything.

During Moe’s announcement, when asked about health mandates, he described them as a stop-gap measure. In his response, Meili said he doesn’t know where Moe is getting that from.

“You do the things you have to do when you need to do them,” Meili said. “If you’ve got pneumonia, antibiotics are a stop-gap measure. I don’t think you should have antibiotics today, but if you have pneumonia, let’s give them to you.”

Meili said masking would be an appropriate measure at the appropriate time.