Saskatchewan's Premier Invokes Orwellian Emergency Declaration in Response to Covid-19

On September 13th, 2021 the provincial government of Saskatchewan declared a state of emergency, enacting sections 18 and 18.1 of The Emergency Planning Act, which provide the government with powers that read like a passage from George Orwell's book 1984.

Powers of minister in an emergency 18(1) On the making of an emergency declaration or a renewal of an emergency declaration and for the duration of the state of emergency, the minister may:
(a) put into operation any emergency plan or program that the minister considers appropriate;
(b) authorize or require a local authority to put into effect any emergency plan for the municipality;
(c) assume direction and control of the emergency response of a local authority;
(d) acquire or utilize any real or personal property that the minister considers necessary to prevent, combat or alleviate the effects of an emergency;
(e) authorize  any  qualified  person  to  render  aid  of  a  type  that  the  person  is qualified  to  provide;
(f) control or prohibit travel to or from any area of Saskatchewan;
(g) provide for the restoration of essential facilities and the distribution of essential supplies;
(h) provide, maintain and co-ordinate emergency medical, welfare and other essential services in any part of Saskatchewan;
(i) cause the evacuation of persons and the removal of persons or live stock and personal property from any area of Saskatchewan that is or may be affected by an emergency and make arrangements for the adequate care and protection of those persons or live stock and of the personal property;
(j) authorize the entry into any building or on any land, without warrant, by any person in the course of implementing an emergency plan;
(k) cause the demolition or removal of any trees, structures or crops if the demolition or removal is necessary or appropriate in order to reach the scene of the emergency, to attempt to forestall its occurrence or to combat its progress;
(l) procure  or  fix  prices  for  food,  clothing,  fuel,  equipment,  medical  supplies or other essential supplies and the use of any property, services, resources or equipment within any part of Saskatchewan for the duration of the state of emergency;
(m) conscript persons needed to meet an emergency; and
(n) do all acts and take all proceedings that are reasonably necessary to meet the emergency.

Emphasis on specific provisions mine. This order is mandatory and as per the minister's order, "every order made pursuant to section 18 prevail in the case of any conflict with any other Act, regulation, order, collective agreement, other agreement or other law." I find it interesting (although not of great consequence) that section (2) of article 18 is not included in the minister's emergency declaration. This was likely done for brevity but it is quite relevant in my opinion:

(2) Subject to the approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council, where: (a) the minister acquires or utilizes real or personal property pursuant to subsection (1); or (b) any real or personal property is damaged or destroyed due to an action of the minister in preventing, combating or alleviating the effects of an emergency;

Authorization of these powers extend back to a Letter of Understanding issued on April 17th, 2020 which recently expired. On Sept. 13th the previous LOU was reinstated by Premier Scott Moe. The stated reason for this is for the, "SHA to ensure the right staff were available at the right place and time to help in the COVID-19 response," however, no distinction is made between this and the other oppressive measures which are authorized by the Emergency Planning Act.

Now for some Saskatchewan vid-19 math. Stats were taken from a Sasketchewan government website and are current as of Sept. 29th, 2021.

4585 active cases ÷ 1,179,300 the 2021 population = 0.003888 = 0.3888% of population infected

685 deaths ÷ 66,737 total cases = 0.010264 = 1.0264% deaths out of total cases

4,585 active cases ÷ 66,737 total cases = 0.068703 = 6.8703% current active cases out of total cases

61,467 recovered ÷ 66,737 total cases = 0.921033 = 92.1033% recovered out of total cases

From this data we see that out of active cases 1.0264% have died, 6.8703% are considered currently active cases, and 92.1033% have recovered. We can further extrapolate that:

4,585 active cases × 0.010264 quantity of deaths out of total cases = 47.0612 can be expected to die and 4,537.9388 can be expected to recover.

Deaths in Saskatchewan by year:
2015 = 9,394 (total pop 1,120,967)
2016 = 9,414 (total pop 1,135,987)
2017 = 9,450 (total pop 1,150,331)
2018 = 9,684 (total pop 1,161,767)
2019 = 9,555 (total pop 1,172,479)
2020 = 9,857 (total pop 1,179,300)
2021 from Jan 2 to June 12 = 5060 (total pop 1,179,844) The most current data available at this time.

With the maffs out of the way, I fail to see where there is an emergency. 685 deaths since the start of covid hardly seems like a reason to continue to suspend the rights of the citizens of Saskatchewan, especially when we consider that 2/3 of these deaths occur among individuals who are over 65. Further, a lot of issues with healthcare in North America stem from changes made in the previous several years regarding in how patients are treated and how care is provided. This in addition to healthcare workers whom are being forced out of healtcare by vid-19 mandates (these changes to healthcare are deserving of their own dedicated thread). As with most of the available vid statistics, there is no mention of co-morbidities among patients. I've searched for this very pertinent information and it's nowhere to be found. If you are able to locate this data, please do link it as I am very interested in the information.

Many American states have similar emergency power provisions which can be enacted at the discretion of the governor. The NYSafe act is one example. Vermont (my state) has similar provisions. I encourage everyone to study and know the emergency provisions in their own jurisdiction and to spread awareness to fellow citizend that these draconian measures exist and are ready to be put into play.

I believe that Saskatchewan declaring a state of emergency due to covid is an immense overreach. From the start of the pandemic I viewed Covid saw as a means of control and did not believe it was about health. It has become more apparent over the last 20 months of "2 weeks to flatten the curve" that the vid is being used as a means to sow fear and confusion while governments implement control over citizens. Governments self-aggrandize as a rule not an exception, and once provided with powers they seldom relinquish those powers without being compelled to do so. I see the events which have been going on in Australia, Italy, and Canada as test runs for what may be implemented in other parts of the globe as vid-19 cases "continue to increase..."

Thanks for reading.

Sources:

www.saskatchewan.ca... in-the-healthcare-syst

www.lifesitenews.com...

dashboard.saskatchewan.ca...

www.statcan.gc.ca...

a reply to: CircumstancialEvidence

(f) control or prohibit travel to or from any area of Saskatchewan;

Great! Anyone knowing the distances involved in that state, for perspective relatives drive 2-3 hours to the next bigger store, this is a way to hunger people out without directly mandating the vaccines or vaccine passports.

But then I also know, relatives do plan for future because they know they can't just grab an article from a shelf, they have to think about it upfront, when they leave their farm to buy groceries. It's a half day trip for them.

The Legault government of Québec tried to pass this at the very beginning of the pandemic and was opposed by every citizens and opposing parties.

They wanted to be able to seize housings and bank accounts without ever having to be held responsible for anything that could happen. All that to "help the state in a time of crisis".

Glad it was repelled. Small victory, but still a victory.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Great point, there is a lot of territory in that part of the world and stores are few and far between. In years past I spent a good deal of time exploring eastern Canada, and while living in California I spent some time driving up and down the PNW up to BC. Beautiful and rugged landscapes. I particularly miss the coast of BC, the Bay of Fundi, and P.E.I. I am glad I got to do some adventuring up there because it's damn near impossible for me as an American to get into Canada at this point.i'd have to jump through some serious hurdles which I'm not willing to jump through.

I'm about a half hour from the nearest town by car and public transit or bicycles are not practical with the hills and erratic, dangerous driving people do here. I do two weeks worth of shopping and get out of dodge and back to the countryside asap.

Some American politicians have floated the idea of banning interstate travel, and this would be devastating for New England. I live close to the NY and MA border and there are thousands of individuals who travel for work, medical appointments, to visit family, etc. For now it's just an idea and I expect there'd be enough pushback on the local level to prevent this coming to pass.

Thanks for your input! Cheers.

originally posted by: ThatDamnDuckAgain
a reply to: CircumstancialEvidence

(f) control or prohibit travel to or from any area of Saskatchewan;

Great! Anyone knowing the distances involved in that state, for perspective relatives drive 2-3 hours to the next bigger store, this is a way to hunger people out without directly mandating the vaccines or vaccine passports.

But then I also know, relatives do plan for future because they know they can't just grab an article from a shelf, they have to think about it upfront, when they leave their farm to buy groceries. It's a half day trip for them.

I didn't bother looking up the actual size of Saskatchetoon, but it's the size of an average large country. Full days drive to cross it, roughly.

We call our States, Provinces, because that's more polite.

a reply to: coamanach

That's wild and it's good to hear the citizens of Québec were having none of that tyrannical overreach. Small victory but these days we'll take our victories where we can get them.

I'm a couple hours south of the Québec border in VT and used to travel to Montreal every couple of years. Might be a while before I make it that way again with the covid restrictions which have been put in place.

VT has similar emergency orders in place, but have yet to enact them. There would be a real uproar if the powers were enacted, as there are specific clauses aimed at "preppers" and those who've prepared financially and materially for eventual crisis would be targeted and robbed by the elected (selected? :mnky government.

Wild times we live in. It's good to be in the company of others who stand for freedom and value our ways of life. Thanks for lending your voice to the thread. Cheers.

a reply to: CircumstancialEvidence

It's less about having power the power to do something, and more about how you use it.

Simply declaring a state of emergency isn't overreach. I'm going to err on the side of the OP simply overreacting. States of emergency are declared quite regularly in the US, particularly after natural disasters, but it's not common to see powers being abused or used out in other context.

On the other hand, this forum seems to be populated by fearmongers who are addicted to doom porn, who see any act of governance as being a hair's breath away from building gas chambers.

originally posted by: CircumstancialEvidence
a reply to: coamanach

tyrannical overreach.

Have they actually done anything that's actually tyrannical yet?

Anybody had their property seized, are any troops billeted in private dwellings, any executions?

Just asking since I'm an older member and lived under an actual dictatorship back in the day. So I would like to think that I'd recognize tyranny if I saw it. You know, on account of having been oppressed before.

a reply to: MykeNukem

Yeah absolutely, it's a massive province.

Just giving a rough eyeball it would encompass all of New England down to Maryland and a fair portion of Pennsylvania and Virginia. I don't know why I do comparisons like this but hey that's the way my mind works.

The American states might as well be independent nations in many regards. Values and beliefs can vary wildly from one state to the next. If America does balkanize (New Hampshire legislature introduced articles of secession, and Texas and Florida have both made a lot of noise about seceeding) then things could get really bumpy for 'Merica for a while.

All empires eventually fall, hah. Who knows what is yet to come. It certainly is entertaining for those not overly emotionally invested in the ongoing shenanigans.

Appreciate your distinction between states and provinces. I do like politeness and respect. A little bit goes a long way. Cheers.

originally posted by: AaarghZombies
a reply to: CircumstancialEvidence

It's less about having power the power to do something, and more about how you use it.

Simply declaring a state of emergency isn't overreach. I'm going to err on the side of the OP simply overreacting. States of emergency are declared quite regularly in the US, particularly after natural disasters, but it's not common to see powers being abused or used out in other context.

On the other hand, this forum seems to be populated by fearmongers who are addicted to doom porn, who see any act of governance as being a hair's breath away from building gas chambers.

Yea but not to be the yea but guy. Huge differences in a STATE OF EMERGENCY and an EMERGENCY PLANNING ACT

Not to mention, really Saskatoon this is your state of emergency? Georgia would have been in a "state of emergency" since late March 2020 instead of hosting 80,000 in attendance football games and waiting for the Labor day surge...that didn't happen. Slowly the cases of deaths and hospitalizations went down in one of the lowest vaccinated states in the country.

but keep on peddling that emergency BS

a reply to: AaarghZombies

I've not heard of any atrocities being committed in Saskatchewan under the auspices of the Emergency Planning Act. Putting the Emergency Planning Act aside temporarily, I do believe the way covid has been handled would already constitute tyrranical overreach. Forcing law abiding citizens through mandate under threat of legal action to wear masks, maintain distance between one another, not have more than a certain number of people in each other's homes, and be unable to travel without complying with experimental medical injections based upon deeply flawed $cience is tyranny.

Getting back to the Emergency Planning Act, yes, this absolutely constitutes draconian measures and tyranny. If the gov't of Saskatchewan only needed to "enable the SHA to ensure the right staff were available at the right place and time to help in the COVID-19 response," then why not do just that? Why include all of the other provisions? History has shown time and again that if the potential for abuse exists, abuse almost inevitably occurs. If you've lived under a dictatorship then surely you are uniquely equipped to be cognizant of this fact.

Government people are not average citizens. They seek power, wealth, and recognition. It is easy for them to spend taxpayer money on frivolous things for the simple fact that it is not their money. Time and again they vote themselves pay raises. They seek to self-aggrandize amd expand the political warchest while also increasing the powers they wield over the populace. As someone who has lived under a dictatorship, I expect you are well aware of this.

I grew up in the Caribbean and am very well versed in dactatorships, having seen and experienced what happened in places like Haiti, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, the Dominican Republic. Many of my friends in the islands were inhabitants of the Virgin Islands because they'd been among the lucky few who left everything behind in their former countries and fled from their their tyrranical governments. I lived under martial law on more than one occasion after severe hurricanes decimated the Caribbean. Hurricanes Hugo, Luis, Marilyn. I experienced the looting firsthand when shops were ransacked by desperate people. I knew some of the people who were shot for violating manditory curfew. I too know what tyranny is.

I have a question for you. Are you concerned when a government grants itself broad, sweeping powers which supercede all other forms of legislation? Are you concerned that a province with over a million citizens would enact powers enabling it to legally enter private residences of law abiding citizens to confiscate private goods which were gainfully earned over years of hard work?

As someone who has been personally impacted by Martial Law and government overreach, I find it quite concerning. I'm curious whether you also find it concerning when governments grant themselves immense power without the consent of the law abiding citizens those governments have sworn an oath to serve.

For what it's worth, I'm sorry for whatever it was you've had to endure. I hope that you've found a better life for yourself and for your loved ones. No one should ever have to live under a tyrranical government. We should always strive to ensure that we have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for ourselves and for our fellow man. Thanks for your input.

a reply to: putnam6

Thank you. You've raised some great points and touched on the essence of this thread. Is a few hundred deaths in a province which has approximately 10,000 deaths annually worthy of placing severe restrictions on the freedom of it's law abiding citizens? I think not.

This covid scenario has been overhyped and wildly politicized since the very beginning. Covid has been used to justify broad changes to the election processes through which the free people of North America are intended to elect politicians who represent them and their interests. Covid has shone a spotlight on just how lacking in freedoms in North America currently is and how complacent a large portion of the population has become.

I doubt that most of the citizens of Saskatchewan are down with the government legally running up in their homes and stealing... err seizing... err appropriating their livestock, finances, and material goods for the "benefit of the province." I'm not from Canada so I'm making assumptions here, but if this type of thing was widely reported on the media in Canada, I expect most people would be saying, "WTF?"

Instead the 24/7 media cycle pumps fear, division and confusion while failing to report on topics which are relevent to citizens. We have to do our due diligence when it comes to finding information and vetting it properly, as each side of the covid narrative, both pro and anti constantly pump out ridiculous, propagandized narratives.

Thanks for the input. Appreciate you adding your perspective.

a reply to: MykeNukem

Oh I have not been with them shopping, just what was related to me. 2-3 hours is kind of vague though. On the German Autobahn, that could mean 500km traveled one way, or just 200km.

Depends on the road and how fast one is allowed to drive

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Off topic but since you bring up the Autobahn I can't resist... there is a speed limit on the Autobahn now. The EU has enacted some really aggressive policies to enrich politicians and corporations err... combat climate change . Much of Europe has highways with speed limit signs which you can't legally attain. Meaning the old signage is still up and electronic ones flash overhead which indicate the new speedlimits. On the larger highways this is enforced by traffic cameras which will clock the vehicle and a speeding ticket will be put in the post to whomever the vehicle is registered to, much like red light cameras in American cities.

I've been in Holland for the past 5 weeks visiting my fiancé and have had plenty of time to learn all about the changes being implemented. Another change being pushed is a mandate for Holland whereby all dairy animals must be housed inside a barn or some other structure by the end of 2022. The stated purpose is to reduce C02 or methane emissions or whatever fresh f**kery that is meant to do. If you go to Germany (I'm close to Arnhem near the border) you won't see dairy animals in the field as they have already enacted this change.

Holland has a very robust and thriving dairy industry and farmers are pissed. Many have already sold and moved on. Others are fighting it. The mandate is being pushed ahead with the threats of hefty fines and legal persecution.

In my opinion this is more about controlling food production and the never ending push to consolidate wealth and means of production into the hands of corporate entities and wealthy land barons. Same reason that Billy Gates has been purchasing farmland across America and is now one of the largest if not the largest land owners in America. Corporations, politicians, and oligarchs are wasting no time advancing their agendas to 'build back better.'

What could go wrong?

a reply to: CircumstancialEvidence

Nah, not yet. I was firing up a stretch of Autobahn just yesterday doing speeds way past 250km/h. Car locks up @ 280kmh to protect the battery

But it will be restricted, they tried for years constantly and now they might get the government that feels justified to do it because people voted for them, even though not because of the speed limit.

I personally loathe the speed limit, as a velocity and acceleration addict.

(offtopic end )

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Have they actually done anything that's actually tyrannical yet? Anybody had their property seized, are any troops billeted in private dwellings, any executions?

So you're a pound of cure pound of cure guy, instead of a ounce of prevention. That's like come back to the hospital when you can't breath. Great plan wait until they actually do tyrannical stuff, then try to do something about it.

Just asking since I'm an older member and lived under an actual dictatorship back in the day. So I would like to think that I'd recognize tyranny if I saw it. You know, on account of having been oppressed before.

Wow, it sure didn't make a impression on you. You must have not thought it was to bad.

On the other hand, this forum seems to be populated by fearmongers who are addicted to doom porn, who see any act of governance as being a hair's breath away from building gas chambers.

Pot meet kettle. That is exactly what all the governments of the world are doing. Selling doom porn, and fear mongering. Protect the vaccinated from the unvaccinated. If you don't take this shot we will starve you out, because you personally will be responsible for the end of the world.

I'd recognize tyranny if I saw it. You know, on account of having been oppressed before.

Apparently not.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Nothing of the sort happened because the law they wanted to pass was repelled. That they even tried this out of the blue is very telling.

And on a side note, there ARE camps built in every provinces actually to put infected people, and all other kinds, for indefinite periods.
You think they built these to help the economy? If they built it, they ARE going to use it. It's only a matter of when.

Senators raised their concerns about it in chamber, but, like Greta said the other day, the answer was like blah! blah! blah!

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Oh right on thank you for clarifying that for me. It's so hard to get consistent, reliable information these days. I was bummed when I heard of gov't busy bodies enacting a speedlimit on the Bahn as I have fond memories of cruising along it at blistering speeds.

A shame that the speed limit may come to pass. Going 100 kmh here in Holland is brutal, hah. Some freedoms just shouldn't be infringed, in my humble opinion.

Cheers and happy, unrestricted driving to you!

a reply to: Uknownparadox

Agreed. As soon as an "elected" government entity grants itself wide-reaching powers which directly restrict the freedoms and rights of the governed under the guise of protecting and safeguarding said governed, I call bullsnip. Why grant themselves those powers if they have no intention of using them?

It's just more fraud from the "rules for thee not for me" political class. Some say when the government becomes blatantly corrupt, become ungovernable. It may yet come to that. This may be exactly what the 'build back better' oligarchs, multinational corporations and their stooges want, but at some point a line must be drawn and a stand made by those who refuse to comply with tyranny.

I knew we in America were screwed when the 1000+ page p.a.t.r.i.o.t. act was passed within days of 9/11/01 without any of those senators actually reading the thing before rubber stamping it. I was in high school at the time and read the damn thing page by page. It was as scary and unconstitutional then as it is now. In hindsight, we had problems long before the patriot act, but that represented a turning point for the nation.

Americans complied and things have gotten even worse in the twenty years since that abomination was signed into law. At what point do Americans say enough? I am cautiously optimistic, but recent events don't inspire much confidence.

At least some of us see through the fraud and deception.

Cheers.

a reply to: coamanach

Yes very well said.

In regards to the camps: similar locations exist in America. We have FEMA camps which coincide with various zones throughout the USofA. Governments around the world are enacting provisions like the Emergency Planning Act which authorize government agents to legally detain law abiding citizens and move them to detention centers errrr health facilities for said citizen's health and wellbeing. Health facilities which are locked compounds and are guarded like prisons. You don't have the luxury of choosing to leave. The NDAA was enacted years ago, has been re-authorized again and again, and allows for the detention of American citizens without due cause for reasons which are not legally required to be made public.

Trudeau forcing Canadians who must travel to check in to and pay for a stay in a government mandated health facility at great expense and inconvenience is a precursor for what is to come. The mandated vaccines or loss of livelihood and income is a precursor for what is to come. The paramilitary police forces engaging in violent crack downs on citizens who don't wear masks and the citizens who engage in protests is a precursor for what is to come. The constant moving of goalposts in terms of what conditions must be met for things to "return to normal" is a precursor for what is to come.

All of this during a time where small businesses have been forced to comply with absurd mandates, hard-working people have watched their life's work be taken from them by government edicts, corporations have recorded record profits, the world's wealthiest individuals have drastically increased their material wealth and pharmaceutical giants have recorded immense profits under fraudulent pretenses...

All the signs of a global, concerted effort by various governments to punish citizens who are attempting to comply and severely punish those who won't comply with unlawful, unjust mandates are there. All for a supposed illness with a survival rate of over 99% for which the majority of fatalities have been among individuals with multiple comorbidities.

What world is this? It isn't one I recognize. It isn't the world our children deserve to inherit. It isn't a world which I am willing to comply with.

I do not consent.