COVID-19 among Moe’s top priorities in government

Just hours after his party was declared winner — by a strong majority — of the provincial election, Scott Moe was back in the legislature with reporters.

Over the four weeks of the campaign, active COVID-19 case numbers rose to the highest point this province has seen. Moe said that, after operational things like going to the lieutenant-governor and having caucus meetings to form cabinet, COVID-19 is among his top priorities.

Moe said, as he has said several times before, the case increases are due to people not following the public health orders. He pointed to some of the outbreaks linked to crowded nightclubs and to some instances of large gatherings.

“In virtually all of the cases, they can be stemmed back to an organization or a group of people that are either blatantly breaking the public health orders that are in place or, at the very least, pushing the compliance to the extreme edges,” said Moe.

However Moe doesn’t think broad, sweeping restrictions are the answer; he spoke about more targeted, surgical initiatives that could help. Moe said the province’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, will speak to that later in the week.

“And maybe (Shahab will speak) specifically to some initiatives that will provide for further opportunity to keep patrons safer in those specific situations and ensuring that those that are offside with the public health guidelines and advice are being dealt with and dealt with swiftly,” Moe said.

Moe was asked why public health isn’t coming down harder on the outbreaks and he responded the fines being issued are pretty severe. Moe also said that, while there are a few nightclubs not following the rules, most are.

Saying the holidays are coming up, Moe said every person should re-evaluate what they’ve been doing and how they’re conducting themselves — like when it comes to a gathering that might violate health orders.

“It’s incumbent on you to not attend (and) it’s incumbent on you to follow the public health orders that are in place. This is how we are able to … protect lives and livelihoods, is by keeping the community transmission as low as we can,” said Moe.

Post-election

Moe also spoke a bit about the election.

He said he has talked to those Saskatchewan Party candidates still in limbo and said it can be tough to have to wait so long.

In his speech on election night, Moe talked about Saskatchewan being strong and independent. When he was asked Tuesday about the wording, Moe said he doesn’t think western separation is a good idea and doesn’t think it would end up the way some people think it would.

Moe said the province is very proud of being a contributing member of the country, and looks looks forward to continuing to be.

But Moe also said the provincial government has clashed with the federal government, and he will continue to work on ways to make the province more autonomous, saying the public will have to wait for more specifics.