REGINA - In light of last week’s high test positivity rate among youth in Saskatchewan and hundreds of Saskatchewan schools impacted by COVID-19 cases across the province, Official Opposition Education Critic Carla Beck called on the province to proactively create a plan to rollout vaccinations to kids aged 5-11 in advance of their approval and to create a pre-registration program to accelerate the rollout.
“This is a crisis of inaction. The Sask Party government has sat on their hands with the lowest vaccination rate in Canada,” said Beck. “Our unvaccinated children have suffered from that inaction, accounting for nearly a quarter of all new cases. We must make sure our kids can be protected as quickly as possible.”
Last week, the SHA released its Weekly Monitoring report, showing a 17.4% test positivity rate among children and youth. This follows multiple reports of over a hundred schools and child care centres currently facing active COVID outbreaks. Last week, the Government of British Columbia announced that it would allow parents to pre-register children aged 5 to 11 to receive the vaccine, in light of estimates that a vaccine could be approved for children aged 5 and older as early as November 1st. A new Angus Reid survey released today shows the majority of Saskatchewan parents would like to vaccinate their children as soon as possible.
“This government’s practice of waiting until a crisis before acting needs to stop. Vaccines for school-aged children will soon get the green light. We must be ready to get kids that important protection as soon as it becomes available,” said Beck. “I hear from concerned parents and teachers every day, hoping that this Premier will finally show some leadership. It’s never too late to stop lagging and start leading.”
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Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.