More and more, it is apparent that the “lunatic fringe” is running Saskatchewan and that Premier Moe’s government is making major policy decisions in response to perceived political pressure from right-wing parties in this province.
As a result of getting 18 letters, 11 of them not even from parents, Moe will use the notwithstanding clause to bypass our Canadian constitution. For what purpose?
Supposedly, to uphold parental rights while undermining the safety and security of trans students in our schools. Great idea! Let’s make life even harder for young people who are already bullied, harassed and often suicidal. There is another issue where Moe is out in (right) field.
According to Saskatchewan government policy, those testing positive for COVID-19 will have no restrictions — or even recommendations — to stay home until they no long test positive.
But where would one get tested anyway? Moe and his cronies may be done with COVID-19, but it’s not done with us. I recently had COVID, used the rapid tests I had and stayed home until I no longer tested positive.
Who would be that irresponsible to knowingly expose others to a serious illness? I am not convinced that the majority of voters support this policy, but, again, Moe listened to the right-wing anti-vax fringe.
How is it that we are held hostage to bad policies supported by the select few who have the government’s ear?
Does this province have to suffer one stupid policy decision after another in an effort to appease a small subset of voters who can’t be appeased anyway, unless we change our province into something nobody recognizes any more?
It is time for Moe to make way for a government that works for the best interests of the province as a whole — not the elite few.
Elaine Arnusch, Regina
Related video: Sask. plans to override Charter of Rights to protect pronoun policy. Here's what that means. (cbc.ca)
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Notwithstanding clause catering to rural, right wing
I want to paraphrase recent comments by Andrew Thomson, political commentator and former Saskatchewan MLA and NDP government cabinet minister made on the CBC show Power and Politics.
The topic was Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s planned use of the Notwithstanding Clause of the Canadian constitution to overturn a court decision preventing his government from forcing teachers to inform parents of all students up to age 16 from confidentially changing their pronouns and names in a school setting.
Thomson stated that was a political calculation to protect the rural right-wing flank of the Saskatchewan Party base from the Saskatchewan United Party led by Nadine Wilson.
He also stated that the Saskatchewan Party has been hemorrhaging votes in the cities to the Saskatchewan NDP. He also indicated that the measures were cruel and that the vulnerable population (LGBTQ2S+ that includes transgender) were being victimized. I agree with every word spoken by Thomson.
Parents’ rights are not the issue here. The issue is that political power is being being used as a blunt wedge issue to placate the Saskatchewan Party base in rural Saskatchewan in order to stay in power regardless of the consequences to the public at large. This is not my idea of democracy.
Ken Rauch, Saskatoon
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