Sask. premier addresses 5 deaths among COVID-19 patients moved to Ontario

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said Tuesday that while he has spoken to families whose loved ones have died during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, he had not made contact with the five families whose infected relatives were recently transferred to Ontario and died within the last week.

"This is tremendously challenging times for not just us in Saskatchewan, but many across the nation, as we are finding our way through the fourth wave," Moe said during an appearance with host Katie Simpson on CBC's Power & Politics. 

Saskatchewan patients were moved out of province beginning last month when the fourth wave resulted in a large number of ICU patients, testing the capacities of health staff and stretching the province's total ICU bed load beyond its max.

In all, 27 patients, all with COVID-19, were flown to Ontario, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. 

As of Tuesday, 15 of those 27 patients were still in Ontario.

Of the remaining 12, five died and seven have been moved back to Saskatchewan. 

One death occurred on Nov. 4, two on Nov. 6 and two on Monday. All occurred in hospital. 

'I've talked to a number of families'

Simpson began Tuesday's segment by asking Moe if he had spoken to the families of the people who died in Ontario.

Moe said he had not, but that Saskatchewan was "forever thankful" to Ontario for helping out. 

He said Saskatchewan's COVID-19 case numbers and overall COVID-19 hospitalisations are dropping. 

The number of Saskatchewan COVID-19 ICU patients is also dropping, Moe said.

As of Tuesday, in addition to 15 former Saskatchewan patients still in Ontario, there were 51 Saskatchewan ICU patients with COVID-19 and 45 without, for a total of 96 in-province ICU patients — well beyond the regular provincial capacity of 79. 

One week earlier, on Nov. 2, there were 97 ICU patients in Saskatchewan and 26 ICU patients in Ontario.

Simpson asked Moe what he wanted to say to the families of the five transferred people who died.

Moe cited challenging times and said some COVID-19 numbers are increasing in other parts of Canada.

"This is an opportunity for us as provinces across the nation to really continue to converse, to talk with one another and support one another," Moe said. 

WATCH | Premier Moe's full appearance on Power & Politics 

Simpson asked Moe if he planned to speak to the families. 

"I've talked to some families that I know that have suffered a loss or have had a loved one in the hospital for some period of time," he said. "I've talked to a number of families, actually, across the province.

"This is a global pandemic that has very real impacts on individuals that are our family members across Saskatchewan and across the nation."

Moe said the best thing people can do is get vaccinated, citing new provincial statistics from October showing that the majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients were either unvaccinated or only had one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 

Moe also used his appearance to elaborate on his recent comments that Saskatchewan needs to be a "nation within a nation" with more autonomy over its immigration, policing and taxation policies. 

Simpson referenced Moe's previous admission that the Saskatchewan government should have responded sooner to the fourth wave and asked, in light of that, if "now is the time to try and push for more autonomy."

"As we find our way through COVID in Saskatchewan and across this nation and around the world, what we are seeing is the global economy starting to look at revving its engine, and Saskatchewan always has had what the world does need," Moe said, citing the province's food, fuel and fertilizer products.

"This most certainly is our time in this province to ensure that we are taking control of our destiny to every degree that we can."