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