Wilson's departure offers Moe an opportunity

If adversity spawns opportunity in politics, Nadine Wilson has just provided Premier Scott Moe a golden opportunity for a badly needed reset in his COVID -19 approach.

Or Moe could carry on with his disastrous, laissez-faire approach that's been evident not only since the July 11 reopening, but also for an entire year now.

To continue that approach now, though, may be at Moe's own peril.

Since July 11, COVID -19 cases in Saskatchewan have exploded to 69,089 (as of Monday) compared with 49,260 then. Active case are now 4,635 compared with 395. Deaths have increased to 716 from 573 and active hospitalizations to 325 from 54.

Our health system is near collapse. It's so bad even Moe has had to abandon his stubborn refusal to acknowledge the depth of the problem and is asking the federal government for monoclonal antibodies to assist with the current crisis. The problem, however, is best described by outspoken Regina physician Dr. Alexander Wong who suggested asking for monoclonal is like asking for a fire extinguisher while refusing to turn off the gas.

Wong and many others argue what's needed is what Moe has been unwilling to do since the Oct. 20 election — impose timely restrictions on things like indoor gatherings. Those are the sort of measures the far right has vehemently opposed for a year now.

Besides the overwhelming, fourth-term Sask. Party victory, what election night 2020 in Saskatchewan is best remembered for is Moe's bizarre choice to address the Buffalo Party radical fringe whose 17 candidates made noise in some rural ridings.

Since then, Moe has also been consistently reluctant to clamp down on nonsense. Instead, anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers have been soothed with words from the premier and Health Minister Paul Merriman that these are matters of personal choice and that no government should ever want to impose restrictions seen as too harsh.

But neither Moe's appeasement of the radical fringe who flout rules the rest of us dutifully followed to get through this mess, nor Moe's attempt to convince us that this is just a normal Saskatchewan fall are really working.

Worse, it appears the public opinion tide on COVID-19 has dramatically turned on Moe, just as he faces what could be an internal political crisis.

The public is now siding with exhausted, impatient and angry doctors and nurses. According to a recent Leger poll, a whopping 74 per cent of Saskatchewan people are dissatisfied (35 per cent “somewhat dissatisfied:” 39 per cent “very dissatisfied”) with Moe's recent handling of COVID -19 compared with only 24 per cent that were satisfied (four per cent “very satisfied;” 20 per cent “somewhat satisfied.”)

This Sept. 24 to 26 survey was taken prior to last week's news that Wilson “resigned” from the Sask. Party caucus for “misrepresenting her vaccine status.” We are unclear whether or not she had already misrepresented that status to the Sask. Party caucus when she was sitting in the legislature masked and wearing a Stick-it-to-covid sticker.

What is now clear is Wilson has chosen to now make this about her now-pronounced libertarian views she previously didn't publicly share.

“I can no longer support the direction of the Saskatchewan Party government or follow the government with true conviction regarding the current health situation,” Wilson said in an email response. “The desire for a just and fair democratic province has helped shaped my decision to leave and sit as an independent member.”

The loss of Wilson — who Moe didn't entrust with a cabinet position likely because of her past assault charges, later withdrawn — isn't a problem. But what she now stands for is.

That the first dissension in Sask. Party ranks would be an MLA saying their government is too restrictive rather than too lax is telling and dangerous. Moe needs to take a firm stand.

After a year of playing footsie with the radical fringe, Wilson is affording Moe a chance to unequivocally say the anti-science disseminators of nonsense have no place in the Sask. Party or in this COVID -19 fight.

This is an opportunity Moe cannot afford to miss.