THURSDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY – NEVER FORGET

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary at 9:50 am and 5:20 pm on Cat Country 98 FM)

THE NEWS WE GOT WEDNESDAY WASN’T WHAT A LOT OF US WERE HOPING FOR.

CANADA’S WAGE SUBSIDIES AND CERB FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO NEXT SUMMER AND IN THE THRONE SPEECH, THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THE LIMITS ON LARGE GATHERINGS IN THIS COUNTRY WON’T BE RELAXED BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AT THE EARLIEST.

MOST OF US WERE HOPING FOR BIG STEPS TOWARDS A RETURN TO NORMAL LIVING. BUT NOT SO.

I KNOW THAT IN SASKATCHEWAN IT’S TOUGH TO GRASP BECAUSE MANY OF OUR LIVES HAVEN’T CHANGED THAT MUCH AND PART OF WHY WE LIVE HERE IS THE BEAUTIFUL WIDE OPEN SPACES.

HOWEVER IN THAT SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS PROVINCE ARE BEING AFFECTED BY WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE MAJOR CENTRES.

THEY HAVEN’T WORKED IN SEVEN MONTHS AND MANY OF THEM HAVEN’T BEEN PAID FOR JUST AS LONG.

THAT’S WHY THIS WEEK OPERATION RED ALERT WAS LAUNCHED WITH MANY OF US WEARING RED, OR MULTI-USE FACILITIES BEING ADORNED IN RED TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE MILLION OR SO PEOPLE NATIONWIDE WHO’VE BEEN AFFECTED SO ADVERSELY.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THEM BECAUSE WITH ALL THE MAJOR SPORTS LEAGUES PLAYING, IT’S EASY TO FORGET THE JUNIOR TEAMS AND MINOR PRO LEAGUES NOT PLAYING. THAT’S TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

SO WHEN YOU’RE SHELLING OUT DOUGH TO ORDER YOUR FAVOURITE TEAM’S GEAR ONLINE, OR MAYBE WAGERING MONEY ON SPORTS BETTING FOR THE LEAGUES WHICH ARE PLAYING, PLEASE KEEP SOME MONEY IN YOUR POCKET FOR THE FUNDRAISERS FOR THE LEAGUES AND ITS PEOPLE WHO AREN’T.

YOU’RE NOT HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT THEM YET. BUT BEFORE LONG, TRUST ME, YOU WILL.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.