La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich said the town is a hub for essential services. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

pandemic

‘It’s not morally right’: No plans for checkpoints in La Ronge

Apr 6, 2020 | 5:22 PM

The mayor of La Ronge is against the idea of implementing checkpoints for south and northbound traffic.

“Number one, it’s not morally right and second, we are the location that’s the necessity part for people in case of medical or social programming or anything like that,” Ron Woytowich said. “My own personal opinion is it should not be done and that’s because, if we do that being La Ronge and the main site for everything, we would be closing off those actual communities that count on us.”

Many communities throughout northern Saskatchewan have installed check stops in an effort to reduced the spread of COVID-19. The Lac La Ronge Indian Band, which recently passed a bylaw restricting the movement of traffic on-reserve, has 24-hour road monitoring at Grandmother’s Bay, Hall Lake, Stanley Mission and Sucker River with plans to set one up in Little Red River this week. There is no road monitoring in La Ronge.

In regards to the townsite, Woytowich noted the provincial government has warned municipalities not to pass any bylaws in regards to COVID-19. He said the province wants to make restrictions in a uniform way and the local council will abide by the law when it comes to municipal affairs.

“I’ve heard the band has restricted travel on the reserve,” Woytowich said. “I guess that’s a good thing. That’s something they are allowed to do because of federal legislation. I hope it does work for them.”

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Woytowich also couldn’t imagine closing the community off from other northerners in need of local services. For example, La Ronge is the main location for health care and social services, banking, fuel, groceries, prescription medication, potable water, mail and more.

While he mentioned checkpoints could make a difference, Woytowich said it would be difficult to determine what traffic is essential and what isn’t. He noted there shouldn’t be any traffic unless those residents are travelling for necessities anyway.

“We’re equivalent of a city that provides all the services,” Woytowich said. “We do not want people to be driving around, we want them in their home to stop the spread of this virus.”

larongeNOW reached out to Air Ronge Mayor Gordon Stomp and LLRIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson for comment, but they were unavailable.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno