SASKATOON — Several members of Slow Roll Saskatoon and Take Action Against COVID — two groups that have opposing views on the current pandemic, — talked and listened to each other’s opinions last Saturday.
TAAC was at Vimy Memorial at Kiwanis Park doing their pro-public health rally where co-organizers Rob Butz, Bonnie Heilman and Natasha King were leading the crowd in calling on Premier Scott Moe to continue protecting the people of Saskatchewan against the virus.
And based on that incident, where several police officers also showed up to make sure everything remained peaceful, the province is still divided in the ongoing pandemic, with one group wanting to end mandates and go on with their lives while the other hopes public health restrictions stay to keep the people safe.
SRS held a convoy of Canada-flag-bearing cars and trucks after a brief march from the Farmers Market across Broadway bridge and back. The group drove past Spadina Crescent with some members choosing to stop and listen to the speakers.
Kali Dawn, one of SRS’ organizers, said she welcomes the views of each person and voicing an opinion is freedom of speech.
“We’re not the bad guys here. We have opposing views about the pandemic but I respect their opinion. I too have relatives and friends who were affected by COVID … It is very okay to have different views, it is freedom and equality for all,” Dawn told SASKTODAY.
“If you’re flying the Canadian flag, I don’t think there’s anything controversial about that. It didn’t say that anyone could disagree with. If you say freedom and equality for all, then have a nice day, what can you disagree more?”
Dawn added she began organizing SRS after experiencing harassment last month for flying the Canadian flag while her truck was parked in a store in Stonebridge.
“I was at Walmart in Stonebridge and I was flying the Canadian flag at the back of my work truck. Two older gentlemen came up and slashed our tire. They would have done more damage if not for two nice individuals that chased them off,” she said.
“We meet at Flying J [in Marquis Drive] every Saturday morning and we choose a different route every week. In that way, we are not aggravating one area of the city. All areas of the city will be going to get some love from us.”
Dawn added that Moe can still implement public health restrictions anytime since the Emergency Planning Act is still not lifted.
TAAC’s Butz, who had a cordial dialogue with an SRS member, said he also has nothing against “anti-vaxxers” as a group or individually. He added that TAAC is not targeting individuals or groups who are against public health mandates.
“We have people with their opinions in our families, and our healthcare workers in ICUs across the province provide an example to emulate, where people who have gotten COVID while unvaccinated aren’t judged but treated like any other patient. It is easy to get frustrated with them because every day people are solely blamed as ‘responsible’ for prolonging the pandemic,” said Butz.
“But our target as a group are the anti-vax and anti-public-health people with actual power, namely the Premier and his MLAs, who refuse to undertake public health campaigns — even with the massive communications budgets they oversee — that would win people over and overcome vaccine skepticism and hesitancy.”
He added they have already met to plan their next public event and hopefully avoid a similar incident in the future.
“I welcome talking about these issues with people in person in more neutral context, and it’s sometimes refreshing and illuminating. But this wasn’t the time or place.”
“The organizers talked and we’re figuring out how to avoid this happening at our next public events. People should be reasonably safe from harassment at our events. Any conveyers who might hear these words, we’re asking them to respect our freedom of opinion and assembly too, and back off.”
