The Saskatchewan Medical Association has added its name to those condemning a protest on Saturday outside the Regina home of Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical officer of health.
A small group of protesters, unhappy with provincial restrictions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, gathered Saturday afternoon, carrying signs.
As police looked on, the protesters left after about an hour.
“Bringing a protest to Dr. Shahab’s private residence is absolutely unacceptable and the SMA condemns these actions,” SMA president Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz said in a statement released Monday.
“The SMA is extremely grateful for Dr. Shahab’s tireless, dedicated efforts in fighting the pandemic on behalf of the people of the province.”
Shahab has been the face of provincial health policies, and on Jan. 15 he announced he would be recommending new restrictions this week to fight the pandemic if COVID-19 case numbers don’t decrease, saying the current average of 313 new cases a day was too high.
On Saturday the province’s premier called the protest “misguided,” adding that the protesters were “a group of idiots.”
Scott Moe called the protest “unacceptable, sickening and wrong.”
“You should be ashamed of yourselves and your actions,” he said in a written statement.
Regina Police Chief Evan Bray says charges against the protesters are currently being considered.
“They were a group of protesters we’re acquainted with. We’ve had interactions with them and discussions with them many times, most of them being around the legislature,” Bray said.
Dr. Saqib Shahab and his family were not harmed in the protest, according to a government spokesperson. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell/)
“The primary focus is on, is there any immediate risk to the safety of anyone, and if there isn’t, then the investigative work is done to determine if any potential charges will come from that,” Bray said.
Government officials say the protest will not deter Shahab from continuing his work.
“The Ministry of Health has indicated that Dr. Shahab will not let this incident distract him from continuing his important ongoing work and is unavailable for comment today,” Jim Billington, spokesperson for the Saskatchewan government, said in a statement Monday.
There have been sporadic protests over public health policies over the past 10 months in Saskatchewan, but they have been primarily in public spaces, including the provincial legislature and outside the ministry of health.
With files from CBC News (Adam Hunter, Mickey Djuric), The Canadian Press
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