Saskatchewan NDP calls for amnesty, consistent enforcement on COVID-19 fines

Saskatchewan’s Opposition NDP leader is calling on the government to look at a provincewide amnesty on fines related to violations of COVID-19 health orders.

Ryan Meili says people are getting inconsistent messages from Saskatchewan Party Premier Scott Moe.

Moe has said public health officials are to educate people first about gathering limits, then look to fines if that advice is disregarded.

Four cases of COVID-19 have been linked to about 60 people who attended two large family gatherings earlier this month that resulted in a declared community outbreak in Saskatoon.

The health authority hasn’t disclosed details of the gatherings, but says officials decided to educate those involved and no one has been fined.

Meili says that sends a strange message, considering that RCMP in northern Saskatchewan charged 11 people inside an SUV with violating the order prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people.

At the time, police announced those inside the vehicle were also facing other charges, including weapons offences. They said violating the health order exposed officers and the public to the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

“The messaging on what needs to happen and what people need to do needs to be clear and consistent, and so does the enforcement,” said Meili.

“Why not clear the deck to date? And then going forward have a real clear guideline of who would be charged and why.”

At least two of the 11 people in the SUV have since had the charge under the province’s public health act withdrawn and stayed.

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