Wednesday #skvotes Links

Nearly 63,000 voters have applied for mail-in balloting packages, and those who haven't are being encouraged to go to advance polls over the course of this week. So with many people casting their ballots, let's take a look at the latest from Saskatchewan's provincial election campaign.

- Ashleigh Mattern reports on the message from experts that people need to take responsibility for limiting the spread of COVID-19. But with Scott Moe once again showing his disregard for the most basic of public health precautions while insisting that schools don't need to bother following standard rules, it shouldn't be surprising that barely half of the province intends to get vaccinated once the option is available - though that is a large enough group to elect a more responsible government in the meantime.

- John Quiggin discusses how renewable energy is already reaching the point of being too cheap to meter (which was once wrongly assumed to be possible with nuclear power). And David Roberts points out how geothermal energy - one of the NDP's priorities for technological development - may soon put 100% renewable energy within reach while also using putting skills acquired in the fossil fuel sector to good use.  

- Meanwhile, PressProgress reveals that while the Saskatchewan Party was pretending to be neutral and removed from the Co-op refinery lockout, it in fact offered to use provincial resources to ensure more draconian action against picketing workers. 

- [Updated to add:] CUPE examines the impact of the Sask Party's privatization of services, and finds that it results in our paying more to get less.

- Jaris Swidrovich writes about the need for full and inclusive sex education to reduce mental health and suicide risks (particularly among Indigenous youth).

- Finally, Josh Sigurdson takes note of the need for additional action to eliminate poverty in Saskatchewan. And Heidi Atter reports on the Saskatchewan Disability Income Support Coalition's recognition that people with disabilities are being left with grossly insufficient supports from the province.