'Deeply disappointing': Premier Moe condemns weekend parade in southeastern Sask.

Saskatchewan health officials say it was not appropriate for a parade to take place this past weekend in a small southeastern village at a time when the province is banning gatherings of more than 10 people to prevent future outbreaks of COVID-19. 

"Do not go ahead with large community events such as this one," the province's Ministry of Health said of Sunday evenings's "cruise night" in Carievale, Sask. 

"I would find that deeply disappointing on a number of levels that an organization would organize an event given where we are," Premier Scott Moe added on Monday.

The event, which was privately organized, involved a procession of classic cars through Carievale. A local restaurant also offered "curbside" takeout food for pickup from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m CST.

Carievale is a village of about 240 people located 289 kilometres southeast of Regina, near the borders with Manitoba and North Dakota. 

"Can't wait to see Carievale hopping!" read an April 20 promotional Facebook post by Tailgate Dining restaurant, which offered the food. "Enjoy a burger and friends while maintaining that social distance!"

However, social media posts appear to show clusters of more than 10 people, not all at a distance from one another.

In a subsequent post on Sunday, the restaurant noted how busy they were.

"Holy smokes!! WE SOLD OUT AT 250!" read the post. "I think we sure did liven up Carievale!!"

The Village of Carievale had also promoted the event.

"Come cruise Main Street in Carievale!" the village wrote on its Facebook page on April 22.

Several videos of the parade were also posted on Facebook. 

'Risk of transmission at large events'

The health ministry said the Saskatchewan Health Authority was not aware of the event before Monday — when CBC News asked about it — and that it had received no complaints about the event.  

Still, the gathering went against the current public health order from the province's chief medical health officer limiting gatherings to fewer than 10 people, the ministry said. 

"As Dr. [Saqib] Shahab has stated many times, there is a risk of transmission at large events, which is why mass gatherings are not allowed," the ministry said. 

The health authority's emailed statement to CBC News came after photos of the event, appearing to show groups of people, were posted on social media.

One of the photos shows a lineup of more than 10 people waiting to pick up food outside Tailgate Dining.  

Another photo shows a group of more than 10 people gathered around cars.

Carievale mayor Michael Wolf said the village had "nothing to do with" organizing the event and that he did not attend it — though he understood it produced "a good vibe" in the community. 

"I was on my deck. I was at home," Wolf said. 

Asked about the photos, he said, "I'm concerned with that. With the social distancing. It should have been followed."

Organizer outlines precautions taken

Jennifer Henderson, the mother of the woman who owns Tailgate Dining, said she organized the event.

"It was a way to get people out because people are getting so depressed and down in the dumps," Henderson said. 

"It was just to get people out, knowing that [when] cruising in your vehicle, you would be social distancing." 

Way more people attended the RCMP-patrolled event than she expected, including people from other communities, Henderson said. 

When it came to the takeout food, "it was pre-orders only," Henderson said, with social distancing rules emphasized to all callers.

There was tape on the sidewalk, hand sanitizer and a sign at the pickup window saying "one person at a time," she added.

"That's exactly what people did," Henderson said. "People were so respectful."

Henderson said she saw the photos posted to social media that appeared to show clusters of people gathered around each other.

"You don't know who are family members in those pictures. It's hard to tell how far apart they are," she said. 

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Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, has faced questions recently about what families should and should not do as the province prepares to gradually relax some provisions of the public health order.

Shahab said last week that small gatherings between two or three households, but of no more than 10 people total, are likely OK.

But he added, "Try to meet the same people of the same household for the next little while."

How to flag an event 

In its statement to CBC News, the ministry of health said using social media is not the ideal way to tell health officials about prohibited events.

"Complaints on social media cannot be investigated in a timely manner," the ministry said. 

Instead, they ask people register concerns through the Non-Compliance Reporting Form, call their local public health office or the Public Safety Agency at 1-855-559-5502.