MLA Nadine Wilson addresses anti-vaccination rally outside Sask. Legislative Building

REGINA -

A group of demonstrators gathered outside the Legislative Building protesting against public health measures and proof of vaccination requirements, ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s throne speech.

The rally, which started at noon, picked up momentum shortly after 1 p.m. as protesters began chanting for the premier to come out and address the crowd.

While Scott Moe did not answer those calls, independent MLA Nadine Wilson addressed the protesters.

The Saskatchewan Rivers MLA resigned from the Sask Party caucus last month after misrepresenting her vaccination status.

Wilson was pictured wearing an “I got my COVID-19 vaccine” sticker in the Legislative Assembly. However, party caucus chair David Buckingham later found out Wilson did not receive her vaccine.

In a statement issued after her resignation, Wilson said she can “no longer support the direction of the Saskatchewan Party government or follow the government with true conviction regarding the current health situation.

Daily cases are trending down – but so are testing numbers.

“We’re hoping that will continue into the future,” Premier Scott Moe said.

“If it doesn’t then we’re ultimately going to have to consider what our next steps might be.”

According to Angus Reid polling – 60 per cent of respondents say the Saskatchewan government is doing a poor job when it comes to handling healthcare.

And one-third say Moe’s government has done well dealing with the pandemic.

“No plan in this throne speech at all around how do we deal with the enormous backlog in therapies and surgeries that have been sidelined to deal with his fourth wave,” Ryan Meili, NDP opposition leader, said.

Modelling suggests roughly 20 thousand surgeries and procedures could be impacted due to service slowdowns.

While the Saskatchewan Health Authority says it’s not in a position to restart any of those services – Moe said transitioning testing and contact tracing to private companies could help in the process.