NDP Leader Ryan Meili pleaded for the province to employ more workers from Saskatchewan at the Golden South Wind project in Assiniboia in a statement issued on April 14. Currently, employees from Borea Construction, Potential Renewables and workers from other contractors have been scheduled to be flown in from other parts of Canada – particularly from the populous regions of Central Canada.
“Either they should be sourcing locals, or they should postpone it,” Meili restated in conversation. “It is not a time to be bringing a large amount of people from out-of- province,” he added, specifically referring to Quebec and Ontario, where Canada’s largest amounts of COVID-19 cases have persisted.
The total of COVID-19 cases in Quebec were calculated at 14,860, while Ontario had 8,967 cases as of April 16, compared to 304 coronavirus infections in Saskatchewan on the same date.
Certainly, many in Assiniboia and region are worried about an explosion of COVID-19 infections in south central Saskatchewan after labourers from Quebec, Ontario and other parts of Canada arrive to work on the Golden South Wind project on Red Coat Trail south of Assiniboia.
“People are right to be concerned,” Meili reiterated. “There’s lots of cases in Quebec and Ontario.”
Meili also thought the project should prioritize openings for workers based in Saskatchewan, because the unemployment numbers have risen dramatically in the province, especially since the beginning of the crisis this spring. The Opposition leader appealed for a Sask First procurement model to put local workers first in Saskatchewan’s projects, such as Golden South Wind.
“People in Saskatchewan are out of work right now. Why would we bring workers in from out of province, risking the spread of COVID-19, when we can get local workers on the job right away?” Meili asked. “When our Crowns build our power plants, they should build them with our companies and our workers.”
Building Trades Saskatchewan Executive Director Dion Malakoff supported Meili by saying Saskatchewan’s workers were prepared to take on the labour required to complete the Golden South Wind project.
“As unemployment rises across the province, it’s hard to understand why we’d let qualified Saskatchewan workers sit at home, while out-of-province workers come in and put our province at greater risk of COVID-19,” said Malakoff. “Local workers are ready to go and they need the work. The smart approach is to protect our health and put people to work at the same time.”
In a closing word, Meili said he was proud of the people Saskatchewan for showing leadership in social distancing, hand washing and other factors designed to end the spread of COVID-19 in the province and the country.
