Moe doesn’t see Saskatchewan closing borders

Economic support among items to be addressed when premiers, PM talk

Premier Scott Moe cast doubt on calls for restrictions on travel between provinces on Monday, as he prepared for a teleconference with his fellow premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) urged Moe to “immediately close Saskatchewan’s borders” in a press release on Monday. FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron argued that traffic between provinces is putting Saskatchewan people at “unnecessary risk.”

Moe acknowledged that Cameron has shared those concerns with him. But he worried such measures would be difficult to enforce.

“I’m not sure exactly how that would get policed,” said Moe. “It might be a little bit challenging to police between the provinces, given all of the border connections.”

But he said the matter could come up during his teleconference, which was slated for Monday evening. He said premiers and the prime minister should be speaking “very loudly” about the dangers of travel, even within Canada.

“If you don’t absolutely have to travel, you shouldn’t be,” said Moe. “You shouldn’t be crossing the interprovincial borders.”

As of Monday afternoon, the federal government reported 1,432 confirmed cases of COVID-19 nationwide, including 259 across the border in Alberta.

Moe said his Monday evening call will be a chance to discuss the need for a more uniform response between the provinces, which have adopted differing restrictions to combat the spread of the disease.

He said the need to social distance and limit gatherings should be “very clear to all Canadians, wherever you are in this nation.”

“What we’re trying to do is to provide that clarity, at least for all of the people in Saskatchewan and, collaboratively, trying to provide it for all Canadians,” said Moe.

In some cases, that may mean measures even more strict than currently in place in Saskatchewan. Nova Scotia, for instance, has imposed the same five-person limit on gathering that the City of Regina previously tried to adopt.

Moe also pointed to the example of Ontario and Quebec, which are ordering all non-essential workplaces to close. Saskatchewan has allowed some non-essential workplaces to remain open to the public. But has shut down those — like restaurants, bars, tattoo parlours and barber shops — where close contact is a major risk.

In other cases, Moe said, other provinces will have to catch up with Saskatchewan.

“That is some of the work that we will be working on here today,” Moe said Monday. “Is there an opportunity through our federal government, with our federal government, and all of the premiers on the phone, to align our restrictions?”

He also planned to discuss Saskatchewan’s

needs for economic support, including funding for an orphan well program to keep energy-sector workers employed.

Moe said he has frequently spoken with federal officials and his fellow premiers in recent days. He said those conversations have borne fruit, including federal funding for a Saskatoon lab with a vaccine for COVID-19 at the animal testing stage.

Ottawa will be providing $23.3 million to vaccine research at the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization - International Vaccine Centre, as part of a broader federal research package.

Moe called that a “critical investment,” and thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

He had other warm words for Trudeau, commending the prime minister for urging Canadians to follow public health orders put in place by the provinces.

“I was pleased to hear the prime minister deliver a strong message this morning when he said and I quote, ‘enough is enough,’” said Moe.

“The fact of the matter is that all Canadians must follow these restrictions, the restrictions that have been put force, put in place by each respective province”

If you don’t absolutely have to travel, you shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t be crossing the interprovincial borders.