Premier Scott Moe was encouraged by the improved numbers in the latest COVID-19 daily update on Monday.
There were only four new cases throughout the province reported Monday, all in the La Loche area and the lowest number of new cases out of that area in a number of days. Premier Moe also noted the situation in Lloydminster continues to improve, allowing Phase One of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan to take effect that day.
He acknowledged Phase Two, due to begin May 19, would be a very important step involving a lot more businesses. “We remain confident that we can continue to reopen more of our economy while continuing to control the spread of COVID-19,” said Moe.
Moe did touch on a few emerging issues at the news conference. One was on talks to reconvene the legislature.
The premier acknowledged there have been discussions. He said there was a meeting last week and the intention was to meet again this week to discuss on “how legislative oversight can occur, whether that’s committees or legislative sittings, and that can occur safely.”
Earlier that day, opposition leader Ryan Meili publicly released a letter to the Premier in which he called on the Premier to reconvene the legislature and present a full Budget.
When asked about that letter, Moe responded he was “quite surprised to see the letter come from the leader of the Opposition today, as this was work always undertaken by the respective house leaders.” Moe said it was “critical” that work continue at the house leader level.
“This is work that is already been occurring at the level that it historically occurs at,” said Moe. “I’m sure the leader of the Opposition is aware that that work is going on and I would be surprised if he wasn’t aware that that work is going on. So I was quite surprised to see the leader of the Opposition write a very public letter asking for the resumption of full legislative services when this is work that is already occurring.”
Another issue involved concerns expressed in a letter addressed by Northern leaders to the Chief Medical Officer about confusion at the checkpoints in the north.
The premier responded minister Lori Carr has had weekly calls with Indigenous leaders in the northwest, as well as with municipal leaders throughout the north. Other communications have been happening as well.
Moe said the decisions made in the Northwest had been “consulted on with leaders across the Northwest and across the North… they have most certainly shaped the decisions that we have made that have impacted their communities.”
Marlo Pritchard of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency responded that they “recognize there are challenges with issues that have been raised with us.” They are looking at each one individually and trying to address them as they come out. Some may have to do with interpretation of a public health order and they work with them.
He added they continue to work with the communities and teir partners to “ensure that the public health order is enforced for everybody’s well-being,” and to ensure communication of why travel is not allowed at this point in time.
Moe acknowledged there were concerns raised by people who feel they should have gone through the checkpoints for one reason or another, and they follow up on those individually. But he noted "those checkpoints are there to limit the spread of this virus and they're there for a reason."
