Mayor Merlin Seymour and MP Gary Vidal had brief thoughts on the province's decision to start lifting COVID-19 restrictions on Monday. (File photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff/HOC-CDC Credit: Bernard Thibodeau, House of Commons Photo Services)

By meadowlakeNOW Staff

Hopeful horizon

Mayor, MP react to provincial Re-Opening Plan

Feb 9, 2022 | 5:28 PM

Meadow Lake faces a similar adjustment to the rest of the province as the lifting of proof of vaccination nears.

City council’s next Monday meeting will undoubtedly address this topic in order to provide clarity for residents and business owners. Mayor Merlin Seymour told meadowlakeNOW that part of the decision making is already made easier, since they didn’t vote to pass additional restrictions for city facilities in the last few months.

“We were following all the regulations set forth by the province, but each individual municipality had the opportunity to set their own policies,” he said. “I know some cities did, we were not one of them.”

Seymour said he hopes the transition goes smoothly for everyone, noting that when they had discussed a local mandate, the primary objective was to keep staff safe and operations flowing.

“If you’ve got 10 people at buildings and nine test positive for COVID that shuts everything down,” he said. “Hopefully the health care system will be able to keep on top of things.”

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As all of Saskatchewan wait to see the pandemic on its downslide, Seymour said there’s at least some hope in the slight reduction in hospitalizations during the Omicron wave. However, he added that health officials are warning people not to think the presence of COVID-19 is over.

“It doesn’t appear to be to be as detrimental if you’re vaccinated,” he said. “[But] just because masking goes, doesn’t mean COVID isn’t still here, we still have to be cognizant of what our surroundings are.”

Local MP approves provincial direction

Conservative Members of Parliament have voiced support for the Re-Opening Plan in Saskatchewan. Gary Vidal, MP for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, said he was pleased to see the restrictions lifted and added that many residents he’s interacted with feel that way as well.

“There’s a significant amount of people just wanting to get as close to their normal lives as possible,” he said. “I think most people are going to be happy to have a plan to have the mandates lifted for that to happen.”

Various organizations and groups in the province have protested the province’s decision to roll back restrictions, from local unions to First Nations leaders, largely for the speed to which it is happening. Vidal said he personally didn’t quibble with any specific details with the plan, but has been more focused on the ongoing situation in Ottawa.

“My job is to push the federal government on what their plan is,” he said. “I’ll let the province do their business.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @meadowlakeNOW