NDP calls for mandatory vaccinations for Crown, public service workers

As he painted the picture of a runaway public health crisis, there was a new wrinkle in NDP Leader Ryan Meili’s familiar demands for measures to get a handle on the COVID-19 pandemic’s fourth wave.

On Thursday, the Official Opposition leader held a news conference outside the Legislative Building calling on the province to mandate vaccinations for Crown and public service workers.

Saskatchewan’s immunization campaign has “stalled,” Meili said, and it’s up to the government to act and increase the province’s poor vaccination rates. He took aim at the premier’s reluctance to use incentives or mandates to improve uptake.

“The other day, Scott Moe talked about how it’s up to employers to make sure that their employees are vaccinated. Once again, he downloads the responsibility to municipalities, to employers, to businesses, to school boards but he won’t take any himself,” Meili said.

“Well, Mr. Moe, you are an employer. You’re an employer of tens of thousands of people and it’s up to you to show leadership.”

Still, Meili was doubtful there would be any action, saying Moe was “missing in action” and ignoring the advice of experts.

“The only thing they appear to listen to is votes,” Meili said.

In his remarks, Meili pointed to children being admitted to hospitals, front-line health-care workers being forced to make life-and-death decisions, and surgeries being cancelled “because of the overwhelming pressure of COVID-19.”

“Tracing has essentially stopped happening. Prince Albert says they’re two weeks away from a complete collapse at their hospital,” he said.

“Right now, Saskatchewan has the highest weekly case rate we’ve had during the entire pandemic. The fourth wave is out of control and it’s not even being acknowledged by this government.”

However, Meili said hope remains because of the vaccine and he once again called on the province to implement a “Last Mile Strategy” that the party has been proposing. That includes requiring vaccination for those who work in schools and the health-care system and those attending large events. As well, the strategy suggests reaching out to those not yet fully vaccinated to convince them to get their shots.

He also called on the government to reintroduce public health orders, noting Saskatchewan is the only province not to use them.

“Some of this, absolutely, we’re saying the same thing over and over again because Scott Moe refuses to listen,” Meili said.