YEAR IN REVIEW: Ryan Meili hopes 2021 was a turning point

The past year has been a tough one for Saskatchewan and, NDP Leader Ryan Meili said, for him as well.

“I really care about what happens here,” said Meili, “and in particular, as somebody who’s a doc(tor) and in elected life, the things we’ve had to deal with – the second wave last winter that especially hit seniors so hard, the third wave where we had the big lockdown in Regina with the Alpha variant, and then this fall, the worst fourth wave in the entire country.”

COVID-19 has been the main reason the year has been tough for most people, and through the 12 months, the pandemic has been the focus for the Opposition NDP, both within the legislative building and outside of it.

Ahead of the fall session, Meili said his party would “prosecute the failures” of the Scott Moe government on COVID. Meili specifically points to the slow reaction to the fourth wave, saying getting the first wave wrong could be understandable, but not the fourth.

“The choice of this premier to learn none of the lessons of the first three and to declare the pandemic over this summer was just so striking to me. It was such a clear example of someone who was willing to put politics ahead of people’s lives,” said Meili.

Throughout the fall sitting, the NDP invited several people to the legislative building to sit in on Question Period and be an example the party could point to of people hurt by government policies — often someone who was waiting for health care because of the fourth wave slowdown.

Meili said it would be hard to pick one person’s story that stood out, but he said he has been thinking a lot about Jessica Bailey. Bailey had a chance for a much-needed kidney transplant but it was stopped by the health-care slowdown, and the last time she spoke, she said she now had to start at square one.

“She’s been in hospital several times since she was in the legislature here. We’re really worried about whether or not she’s going to make it,” said Meili.

The NDP leader also talked about the Finns, who had to take their son to the U.S. for a potentially life-saving treatment that wasn’t available in Saskatchewan, and only this fall the province agreed to cover the cost.

“No one should have to come here to get that kind of help but if that’s what it takes, we’re glad we’re able to facilitate that and share those stories,” said Meili.

Meili hasn’t been shy about calling out the government, using some pretty sharp words during the year and multiple times calling for the health minister’s job. The NDP leader defended the rhetoric, saying there has been mismanagement on a massive scale.

“These are people who are extremely bad at their jobs and shouldn’t be in them anymore and while it might sound striking to say that, to say any less would be irresponsible,” said Meili.

The NDP leader believes that in five or 10 years, 2021 will be remembered as a turning point in the province and the moment when the Moe government lost the confidence of the Saskatchewan people.

“And, hopefully … it’s the moment where we said, ‘Let’s be honest about what’s not working. Let’s accept and learn what COVID revealed about what’s wrong in education and long-term care and health care, the vulnerability of our economy,’ and that we took those lessons and made real change,” said Meili.