Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and NDP leader Ryan Meili have both expressed their anger with comments made by a man during an anti-mask rally that were directed at provincial chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.
A video taken by Global News shows the man purposely mispronouncing Shahab’s name before saying “I can’t get these foreigners names right.” After the comment was made, the crowd cheered.
Moe went to social media on Sunday to criticize the comments which he said were racist along with posting a video taken on the last day of the legislative session Thursday in which former health minister Jim Reiter praised Shahab for the work he has done since the pandemic started.
Yesterday, one of the speakers at a rally in Regina made comments that were beneath contempt, including racist comments about Dr. Shahab.
Last Thursday, former Health Minister Jim Reiter, who worked with Dr. Shahab for many years, made a statement about him in the Legislature. pic.twitter.com/ktUwtQMuoG
— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) December 13, 2020
Meili also went to social media to call the comments “disgusting, idiotic and dangerous.” Meili also shared the video of the comments made.
The anti-mask rally came on a day where the province announced 11 deaths in what was the biggest one-day single total since the pandemic started. Four more deaths were announced on Sunday bringing the total number of deaths from the virus to 89.
