An information request on how Saskatchewan defined deaths by COVID-19 came up empty, but the Ministry of Health insists it does have criteria.The ministry responded to a formal information request on February 8. The response was shared with the Western Standard and reads as follows."Thank you for your Access to Information Request received in this office on January 25, 2024, pursuant to The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) requesting: "'Provide the criteria the Chief Medical Officer used to define a 'COVID death' or a death by any of SARS-CoV-2 variants. January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023."This is to advise you that the record(s) you wish access to do not exist in the Ministry of Health."In a statement sent to Western Standard, Sask United Party leader Nadine Wilson suggested the lack of documentation suggested a fuzzy definition of pandemic deaths that left provincial statistics in question."I am deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability from the Ministry of Health regarding the COVID-19 deaths in our province. What message does this send to the public when the government can't even provide basic statistics on mortality from COVID-19?" Wilson said."This is insulting the public’s trust and lacks accountability by the Moe government."In request to a query from the Western Standard, the Saskatchewan government gave the following response."For COVID-19 reporting purposes, Saskatchewan considers a death to be a COVID-19 death when the death is a result of a clinically-compatible illness in a COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear and immediate alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID-19 (e.g., trauma). The reported cases would have tested positive for COVID-19 on a PCR test or were considered a highly probable COVID-19 case (e.g. were in close contact to a confirmed case and had COVID-19 symptoms)."This was the standard throughout the pandemic."Below, a redacted scan of the response from the Ministry of Health..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
An information request on how Saskatchewan defined deaths by COVID-19 came up empty, but the Ministry of Health insists it does have criteria.The ministry responded to a formal information request on February 8. The response was shared with the Western Standard and reads as follows."Thank you for your Access to Information Request received in this office on January 25, 2024, pursuant to The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) requesting: "'Provide the criteria the Chief Medical Officer used to define a 'COVID death' or a death by any of SARS-CoV-2 variants. January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023."This is to advise you that the record(s) you wish access to do not exist in the Ministry of Health."In a statement sent to Western Standard, Sask United Party leader Nadine Wilson suggested the lack of documentation suggested a fuzzy definition of pandemic deaths that left provincial statistics in question."I am deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability from the Ministry of Health regarding the COVID-19 deaths in our province. What message does this send to the public when the government can't even provide basic statistics on mortality from COVID-19?" Wilson said."This is insulting the public’s trust and lacks accountability by the Moe government."In request to a query from the Western Standard, the Saskatchewan government gave the following response."For COVID-19 reporting purposes, Saskatchewan considers a death to be a COVID-19 death when the death is a result of a clinically-compatible illness in a COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear and immediate alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID-19 (e.g., trauma). The reported cases would have tested positive for COVID-19 on a PCR test or were considered a highly probable COVID-19 case (e.g. were in close contact to a confirmed case and had COVID-19 symptoms)."This was the standard throughout the pandemic."Below, a redacted scan of the response from the Ministry of Health..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
