MLAs need to be recalled to the legislature as soon as possible to discuss the province’s COVID-19 back-to-school plan, said the leader of the official opposition.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on Premier Scott Moe to recall the Legislature as early as Monday, Aug. 24.
The start of the school year was delayed by the provincial government until Sept. 8, and $40 million of COVID-19 contingency funds was allocated the education system. COVID-19 testing capacity is also being ramped up to 4,000 tests per day.
Meili said that Moe’s announcement earlier in the week had no major changes from before.
“The only real change was the that they admitted that their plan so far wasn't working, and not working enough that they needed to delay school start by a week. This has done nothing to alleviate a stress parents of teachers and EAs [education assistants],” he said.
He said over two online meetings with teachers, parents and school staff across the province, he heard serious questions that have gone unanswered.
“It's a really stressful situation, and one in which the government is leaving people hanging in so many ways,” he said.
“[There’s] still zero talk about reducing class sizes, despite the fact that we know that physical distancing is key to controlling the virus. No talk about ventilation. No clear guidance on mask use, and still nothing to answer the questions around outbreaks about the timing of testing.”
Meili said there’s also questions about how school division decide which phase they're in.
“So many questions still left, and so few details about such an important topic, it is time for accountability from this government.”
Meili said he wrote the premier on Aug. 21, insisting the Legislature resume sitting.
“It is time for us to have an emergency debate, to have an opportunity to ask him real questions where he is not simply in a controlled press conference environment, but where he actually has to answer the questions of us and of the media to get to the bottom of the problems with this plan so that we can come up with one that actually works,” he sais.
“This is urgent. This isn't something that can wait until after the election. We have to get this figured out before school starts.”
On Aug. 17, Moe said school divisions are encouraged to use all the capital assets they have, to the greatest ability they can, to reduce class size.
Moe noted that if one school has larger class sizes, but another school a mile away has additional capacity, it should be used. He didn’t specifically say students would be reassigned to different schools, however.
Asked about this, Meili said it was vague, without any clear guidance on what those class sizes should be.
Asked if the legislature is to sit, does Meili expects all its members to sit in their assigned seats, at the same time, as students are?
“No. I think we should continue to practice social distancing. And we should be working with schools to allow that to happen in schools as well. We can absolutely do this work, and have this emergency debate, with a smaller number of MLAs, continue to practice into model, physical distancing, and use that opportunity to push this government to figure out a plan to allow that to happen in schools,” he said.
“We know, and even Scott Moe admits, we've got so many classrooms that are over 30 students in small class. That is not compatible, in any way, with appropriate physical distancing that is required to prevent the spread of the virus. And that's what we're calling on Scott Moe to assist school divisions and making possible.”
As for what Meili would like to see accomplished by a recalled sitting, he said he’d like to see the government give the financial projections that they omitted from the budget so far, as well as pass legislation for a suicide prevention strategy.
“But largely, what I want is an extended opportunity to debate and to ask key questions, whether that's in committee or on the floor of the Assembly, about this return to school. There are so many things that are unclear, that are unwisely being downloaded on to school divisions that need to be addressed,” he said.
“We think that is something we can use this legislative setting to achieve to move this along. We don't want this to be the worst plan in the country, but it is. We want this to be a plan to works and using the legislation legislature to have that debate, highlight the failings and fix them is exactly what we want to see done.”
Response from Premier’s Office
The Premier’s Office emailed a statement on Aug. 21 which re-iterated the back-to-school plan announced Aug. 17.
This included the $40 million in contingency funds, expanding testing capacity to 4,000 tests per day, a Sept. 8 start date, and providing masks.
“The province expects to have a supply of approximately two million masks in place for distribution to Saskatchewan’s school divisions no later than August 25th. These two million masks are from the initial PPE (personal protective equipment) order of six million masks worth $2.3 million. The balance of the PPE order is expected to be distributed in first week of September. Masks will be distributed to all school divisions and will be made available to students, teachers and staff at the beginning of the school year and on a daily basis,” the statement said.
“While we know that many teachers, staff and students will wear cloth masks, it is expected that school divisions will make masks available for distribution in schools to students and teachers regardless of masking policies under Level 2.”
It also said Minister of Finance Donna Harpauer will release Saskatchewan’s first quarter fiscal update on Aug. 27th.
“As committed by the Premier, this fiscal update will include an update on the 2020-21 pandemic deficit, as well as economic and fiscal outlooks through to the fiscal year of 2024-25. This fiscal update will also include the latest pandemic budget figures for the Ministry of Health and the $40 million designated to support the safe return to schools,” it said.
“With the release of this fiscal update, Saskatchewan will become the first jurisdiction in Canada to provide detailed medium-term outlooks and future year projections factoring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
