Subscribe to our daily newsletter
(file photo/CKOM)
COVID-19

FSIN wants Saskatchewan borders closed

Mar 22, 2020 | 7:53 AM

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations wants Saskatchewan to close its provincial borders.

In a media release on Saturday, the FSIN announced they are calling on Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe to immediately close the border “for the protection of all Saskatchewan residents.”

“Some First Nations have already exercised their autonomy by closing their borders and are limiting traffic in and out of their communities. We are calling on this Saskatchewan Government to do the same” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron, in the release.

The plea for closing the borders came minutes after the province reported an additional 18 COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan. The total is now at 44. The vast majority of cases are directly linked to people returning from out of province or international travel

“The traffic on our highways coming in and out of the provincial borders continues to put everyone in Saskatchewan at unnecessary risk. Travelers from all over Canada continue to travel into Saskatchewan and could be unknowingly transmitting COVID-19,” Cameron said.

Cameron says we are dealing with “an invisible enemy” and urges people who are coming home from outside the province to adhere to the 14-day self-isolation protocol.

“Every Saskatchewan resident, First Nations and non-First Nation, must do everything necessary to protect everyone within our region,” he said in the release.

“We will overcome this together if we unite and make hard decisions for the protection of our most vulnerable populations.”

According to the release, FSIN executives and staff will continue to work remotely seven days a week to communicate any necessary information. They also say a COVID-19 emergency response team is “working closely with their provincial and federal partners” every day.

CKOM

View Comments