Internal party dissent grows against Alberta Premier who allegedly went against his own govt’s COVID rules
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/internal-party-dissent-grows-against-alberta-premier-who-allegedly-went-against-his-own-govts-covid-rules
One MLA called for the resignation of Jason Kenney, who was photographed having a rooftop dinner with eight other people in violation of his guidelines for gatherings.
EDMONTON, Alberta, June 7, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) – Internal party angst is growing against the “hypocrisy” of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney after he allegedly broke the same COVID-19 rules he has fiercely enforced for more than a year.
Last Wednesday, photos emerged showing Kenney and eight other people, including Health Minister Tyler Shandro, House Leader and Environment Minister Jason Nixon, and Finance Minister Travis Toews, appear to be violating COVID-19 guidelines while engaging in a patio dinner on the rooftop of a government building last week.
Photos of the dinner, which took place on June 1, were sent to multiple media outlets from an “anonymous” individual who took the photos from a nearby building.
The photos of Kenney and his minister’s rooftop dinner show attendees in close proximity to each other, as well as people walking in and out of the building, with none of them wearing masks, although they are not mandatory outdoors.
According to Alberta’s COVID-19 rules, since June 1 outdoor social gatherings are limited to 10 people who are mandated to be “physically distanced” at all times if they are from “different households.” Indoor social gatherings are not allowed.
Dining in an outdoor patio is only allowed for up to four people from the same household.
After news spread of the dinner, members of Kenney’s United Conservative Party (UCP), Independent MLAs and those from the opposition NDP blasted the event for its “hypocrisy.”
“Looking at these photos it seems clear to me that several health restrictions were violated. Much of the public concern about this incident has been about the hypocrisy of senior officials breaking their own rules. I can certainly understand these concerns,” wrote Airdrie-East UCP MLA Angela Pitt, who is also the deputy speaker of the legislature, on her Facebook page.
“The Premier had a restaurant dinner on his patio with seven friends, and it remains unclear to Albertans why a restaurant owner can't have larger groups on their patio. I am calling on the Premier today to make the rules more consistent, to give businesses fairness, and to allow restaurants to safely operate in the same fashion in which the Premier just portrayed.”
Shortly after Pitt’s statement, Independent Alberta MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat Drew Barnes, who was booted from Kenney’s governing UCP in May along with MLA Todd Loewen, said Kenney needs to resign because of the rooftop dinner.
“Like Todd Loewen, this is another example of a principled, hardworking constituency conservative MLA hearing overwhelmingly from Albertans that Jason Kenney’s entitlement, hypocrisy and refusal to listen have reached a breaking point,” said Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat.
“Kenney needs to resign, and all Albertans need to get back to building a free, prosperous Alberta for our communities, families and children.”
Over the weekend, two of Kenney’s cabinet ministers Leela Aheer, Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women, and Minister of Community and Social Services Rajan Sawhney demanded that Kenney apologize for the rooftop dinner.
In a press conference today, Kenney offered an apology for his rooftop meal.
“I regret the perception this has created. I truly regret it. I take full responsibility,” said Kenney.
Peter McCaffrey, president of the Alberta Institute, said he has no problem with Kenney dining. It’s just that as leader of the province he was the one who enacted the laws that businesses were forced to follow.
“Kenney's defence essentially boils down to him thinking what he was doing made sense and was safe. I agree, it did! The problem is, the laws he's imposing on businesses and restaurants around the province don't make sense,” tweeted McCaffrey.
Photos of the dining event also sparked online ridicule and outrage, as many businesses have been forced to close due to severe COVID-19 lockdowns that have kept Alberta under lock and key for more than six months.
“While they send out the police to arrest pastors and seize church properties, they ignore the very rules they punish others for questioning. It’s over, @jkenney. Open up everything now and leave people alone. #cdnpoli #EndTheLockdowns,” tweeted Independent MP Derek Sloan.
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