At tonight's city council meeting, a guest started off the conversation discussing some of the recent events both in Estevan and provincially that are affecting citizens.

Estevan MLA Lori Carr was present and took some questions from the gathered councillors before the meeting began going through various items.

Carr and the council discussed a few different topics  - these included carbon capture opportunities in the southeast and the timing of local and provincial elections, while also thanking her and the province for the support of the walkway project being built in Estevan.

One of the last things talked about with Carr was the response that the provincial government had to mandates, with councillor Kirsten Walliser asking if the change between insisting against a mandate to adopting one in the span of ten days would create distrust in the government.

Carr says the government changed its mind after seeing some of the current case numbers.

"Wouldn't we all like to know when the pandemic is finished, but unfortunately, it's a moving target. as we've always said, recommendations and changes will come in concert with our chief medical officer which is exactly what we are doing, and it was always based on the number of hospitalizations, the number of people in ICUs, so as those numbers rise that's when you see changes happen."

Walliser pointed out that some Estevan businesses wouldn't be checking for vaccine cards, in apparent protest of the mandate.

Carr says those are only a few exceptions.

"I think most people, most businesses, will do the right thing. it is a very divisive thing and some people will choose, whether you're vaccinated or unvaccinated it's still your choice, it's just unfortunately now some things you'll have to wait to do until all restrictions are lifted."

Councillor Shelly Veroba also chimed in, asking if Saskatchewan would have to get to the point they'd need to pick and choose who was treated for COVID-19, which has happened in other jurisdictions.

Carr says Saskatchewan likely won't see that.

"I think that there's enough room in this system to hopefully handle some of this influx that has been coming in. we have just started this week starting to slow down the rest of the healthcare system so the elective procedures and the rest of that stuff and what that'll do is make some room in the healthcare system if we get more of those COVID patients coming in so no we're not at that point yet in Saskatchewan."