Premier Scott Moe (980 CJME file photo)

By Lisa Schick/CJME News

Moe taking heat over phone call to leader of Sask. anti-vaccine group

Dec 8, 2021 | 2:07 PM

Premier Scott Moe is getting a lot of criticism over a conversation he had with the leader of a Saskatchewan group that is against the COVID-19 vaccine, vaccines for children, and mandates.

Moe said he made the call Friday evening as part of a few calls he was making, and spent about an hour on the phone with the woman.

Moe said he was asked to make the call by two MLAs and a health professional, but wouldn’t say who they were.

Moe said the woman talked about the challenges we’re seeing in society right now. Moe said he talked about the challenges with COVID and some of the effective tools that are available like vaccines, but also monoclonal antibodies and new pills that are being developed.

The premier said the two agreed about not stigmatizing those who aren’t vaccinated.

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“We most certainly should be continuing to talk to those that may have a different viewpoint than we have, most certainly, and engaging with them, whether it be on COVID vaccinations or anything else,” said Moe.

Moe said he didn’t know much about the group the woman heads when he made the call, or on Tuesday when he spoke to the media about it. The group was part of a failed lawsuit to stop the province’s vaccine passport system from being implemented.

“I’ve asked all of the government caucus, MLAs, to call back the people that are contacting them in the office, even if they know that they’re going to have a very different viewpoint than what the government may have. But call them back (and) engage with them,” said Moe.

Some of the criticizing centres around Moe having more than an hour to speak with this woman while not having made time to speak with others who’ve come to the Legislative Building — people like health-care workers brought by the NDP, or Tristen Durocher, who walked more than 600 kilometres from Air Ronge last summer to raise awareness about the suicide crisis in the north and try to push for change in government.

When asked about not meeting with Durocher, Moe thanked him and others for their advocacy and talked about the work that has been done on mental health and that still needs to be done. Moe said his government has engaged with Durocher and others.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili was particularly critical of the call, saying it was a really strange choice. Meili said the group has held anti-vaccine rallies and shares misinformation online.

“This is not the type of group that this premier should be encouraging and validating,” said Meili.

Meili said the calls allow the group to talk about speaking with the premier and him having a lot of time for them.

“That really further validates and justifies their approach. Yes, we should have conversations with anyone, but it’s pretty striking that he was willing to have that conversation but got a letter from hundreds of doctors and blew them off (and) got a letter from MHOs across the province (and) blew them off,” said Meili.