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The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is not impressed with one of the Saskatchewan government’s new COVID-19 measures.
On Saturday at 12:01 a.m., all casinos and bingo halls in the province are to close under the new rules implemented Monday. Those facilities are to remain closed until the measures are reassessed Jan. 15.
In a media release Friday, the FSIN said it should be consulted by the government before public health orders are instituted “that significantly impact and negatively affect First Nations communities and businesses.”
In this case, those businesses are casinos operated by the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA).
“Our First Nations communities are the beneficiaries of the revenues generated by SIGA casinos operating across the province and these closures are having substantial and potentially lasting impacts within the First Nations,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in the release.
“SIGA understands the seriousness and importance of doing their part to combat the spread of COVID-19 and they have respected and followed provincial guidelines, going above and beyond to keep everyone safe. Our casinos have some of the highest health and safety regulations for this reason.”
According to the FSIN, all SIGA-run casinos required patrons to wear masks long before they were made mandatory by public health orders. As well, SIGA set out directional pathways, reduced the number of slot machines, and separated its machines by spacing and Plexiglas partitions.
The casinos have proposed to operate at 12 per cent of their capacity, much lower than the limits placed on other businesses under the public health orders. But the public health order taking effect Saturday closed casinos outright.
“Our First Nations deserve fair and equitable treatment and opportunity as other businesses in the province,” Cameron said. “Other gaming machines like VLTs which are hosted in Saskatchewan hotels, bars and restaurants remain open. SIGA, and the 1,000 employees who are going to be out of work, simply seek a level playing field.”
