Premier Scott Moe came to the defence of his health minister after the Saskatchewan NDP renewed its call for Paul Merriman to resign or be fired.
During a press conference Monday outside Merriman’s office, party leader Ryan Meili said Merriman ignored the second wave of COVID-19 and, during the third wave, relaxed restrictions.
He said those decisions cost hundreds of lives in the province and, with the onset of the fourth wave, more lives will be lost if action is not taken.
“That level of irresponsibility will cost people their lives and with the record that they have, having gone through this already so many times, they can’t even claim ignorance,” Meili said.
“This health minister, who has been in charge of our response to COVID-19 throughout the second and third wave and heading into the fourth, has been absolutely a failure and it’s time for him to go.”
Moe rebutted those claims.
“The health minister has been working very hard throughout this pandemic and most certainly will continue to work hard with Dr. Shahab, Scott Livingstone and the Ministry of Health in providing the best advice we can,” Moe said during a COVID-19 briefing Monday.
“This further goes to how we see an opposition party that has essentially politicized this pandemic.”
Meili said the Saskatchewan government needs to listen to Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical health officer, for mask and vaccine mandates in the province.
“We have the least independence for our chief medical health officer. We’ve seen Dr. Shahab’s advice ignored,” he said.
“Paul Merriman needs to go and Shahab needs the freedom to speak clearly about what we need to do to keep people safe.”
Moe said his government has always been up front with the people of Saskatchewan.
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“It is about preserving the health care capacity that we have and ensuring that we can offer those health care services not just to those folks that have COVID, but to everyone,” Moe said.
“We’ll continue to do the work of governing and I am sure the opposition will continue the work of opposing as they have done for some time.”
The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) added its voice calling for Merriman’s resignation due to his “total mismanagement of the pandemic.”
“It’s time for the Sask. Party to take responsibility for their actions that have led to this situation and do everything they can to stop the spread of COVID-19 before it’s too late,” SFL president Lori Johb said in a statement Monday.
“The minister must apologize and resign so that someone more capable can step in to lead the province out of this pandemic.”
The SFL is also calling for the government to take action to fight the fourth wave of COVID-19, saying the health care system is being overwhelmed.
“Now, just as predicted, health care workers are being pushed to the brink, front line workers are still at risk of contracting the virus, and parents are worried for their children as school is starting while the virus is spreading and getting kids sick,” Johb said.
“It’s time for the Sask. Party to take responsibility for their actions that have led to this situation and do everything they can to stop the spread of COVID-19 before it’s too late.”
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are taking steps to address the spread of COVID-19 in the province.
The club announced that as of Sept. 17, all fans at home games must be fully vaccinated or provide a negative test taken within 48 hours of game time.
“We decided that this is the right decision for our club and for our fans,” said Rider’s president and CEO Craig Reynolds.
Meili applauded the move by the Riders.
“Thank you @sskroughriders for showin leadership to protect football fans and the whole province,” Meili said in a tweet.
“If only @PremierScottMoe and his Health Minister had the courage to take responsibility instead of leaving the heavy lifting up to SK businesses and community organizations.”
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