“Today we are truly near the end of this thing. We’re finally getting back to normal, and I think it means the best Alberta summer ever.” – Premier Jason Kenney
Last week Premier Kenney, Dr Deena Hinshaw, and Health Minister Shandro (collectively KHS) unveiled Open for Summer, Alberta’s reopening plan.
Stage 1 starts two weeks after 50% of Albertans aged 12 and over have had their first dose and hospitalizations are below 800, Stage 2 starts two weeks after 60% of Albertans have had their first dose and hospitalizations are below 500, and Stage 3 kicks off two weeks after 70% of Albertans have had their first dose. There is no hospitalization metric for Stage 3.
Restrictions will be lifted as we pass through Stage 1 and 2, culminating with no restrictions (other than some protective measures) when we hit Stage 3.
This should be good news, right? So why do we feel uneasy?
As a public service to her readers Ms Soapbox sat through the three KHS press conferences (again) to try and understand why she’s hanging back from “the best Alberta summer ever.”
The experience was excruciating.
Here’s why.
Who is the strictest in the land?
KHS say Alberta’s plan is more restrictive than the BC and Sask plans, but health writer Andre Picard disagrees. In an interview on The Current, Picard said with the exception of Ontario and Manitoba which are more cautious, the provincial plans are similar. They all aim to be fairly open by July.
Portraying Alberta’s plan as being more restrictive and therefore more cautious than our neighbours is misleading.
What is the plan based on?
KHS say Alberta’s plan is informed by the experience in other jurisdictions like the UK, Israel, and some US states.
Really?
The reopening plans of both Israel and the UK are more restrictive. Israel requires citizens to present “green badges” to gain admission to cultural events, restaurants, and health clubs and the UK’s is 4 months long.
The US jurisdictions Kenney relies on had significantly higher covid rates hence higher ‘natural immunity’ (more on that below) and no delays between the first and second doses.
Shandro said the plan is based on what we’ve seen in other jurisdictions around the world “but make no mistake, this is a plan that is tailor made for us.” Ah, that explains why BC cancelled the PNE and Ontario cancelled the CNE, but the Calgary Stampede and the premier’s pancake breakfast are still a go.
KHS’s assertion that Alberta’s plan is based on those of other jurisdictions is not credible.
Variants and the one dose vs two doses approach
KHS say Alberta could fully reopen on June 28 if we meet the 70% first dose vaccination threshold. They did not mention that variants have become dominant and, depending on the variant and the vaccine, a single dose may provide significantly less protection than two doses.
When pressed on this point they said:
- The 70% benchmark was chosen because it’s simple and won’t confuse the population. Please! It’s the restrictions, not the benchmarks, that are confusing.
- The 70% benchmark is supported by “deep analysis” on natural immunity, monitoring spread and getting second doses. Isn’t this work KHS should be doing as a matter of course? Why is it offered as a justification for not including a second dose benchmark? And about natural immunity. Kenney originally said Alberta’s natural immunity was 12%. Last week he said it was 14%. There is no evidence to support why the number is so high if it’s based on how many Albertans have recovered from covid, let alone how long this immunity lasts and how effective it is against the variants.
Albertans aren’t stupid. Please show your work.
Only anti-vaxxers criticize
The NDP Opposition questioned the pace of the reopening plan. Healthcare professionals like former CHOM Dr Talbot questioned both the pace and the one dose strategy.
Kenney dismissed these concerns with the glib comment that those who challenge the government’s plan are anti-vaxxers determined to undermine public trust in vaccines to impair Albertans’ fundamental freedoms with indefinite lockdowns.
This is ridiculous.
A responsible government unveiling its reopening plan would set politics aside. It would not muddy the waters with half-baked analogies to other jurisdictions, and it would anticipate and respond to concerns about variants which could lead us into a fourth wave.
Is that too much to ask?
Susan on the Soapbox 
Yes, it’s WAY TOO MUCH TO ASK of KHS.
Sadly I fear you’re right Glen.
Another excellent post, Susan! Unfortunately, when it comes to addressing the pandemic, Kenny can’t set politics aside. On Monday he appeals to his populist base, on Tuesday he appeals to confused conservatives, on Wednesday he appeals to lost liberals, on Thursday he defers to extremists on the right, on Friday he defers to plutocrats, and on weekends he defers to religious acolytes who defer to the Bible. Politics is about leadership and good leaders defer to scientific evidence to address serious social problems. BC defers to science; Alberta defers to temperamental, political whim. If the main priority of Albertans in the next election is leadership, Kenny will be put out to pasture…next to an abandoned well.
Perhaps he may find an appropriate hospital to check into??
Papajaxn: your comment reminded me of the public inquiry into queue jumping in 2013. This was a real public inquiry and the testimony was posted on line in real time. It turned out that when politicians were admitted to hospital, they got top notch treatment (surprise) sometimes at the expense of other patients. That was then, this is now. While I’m sure medical staff would treat UCP politicians professionally I wonder whether the politicians would get the same gold star treatment their predecessors got in the good old days.
Great comment Judy. Interestingly Kenney’s attempt to please the left and the right and everyone in between has backfired. A recent Mainstreet poll found 55% of Albertans wanted Kenney to resign. The breakdown as to party allegiance was interesting: 71% of the NDP voters, 46% of UCP voters and 82% of Wildrose voters wanted him gone. He hasn’t united the conservatives, he’s polarized them.
Here’s the link: https://westernstandardonline.com/2021/05/https-westernstandardonline-com-2021-05-polls-says-majority-of-albertans-want-kenney-to-resign/
These are good numbers for those of us who cannot wait to see him gone but again the fact that after the disgraceful show we have witnessed in the last couple of years that 36% still approve him is sick. I cannot even comprehend this to be possible. My trust in Alberta’s society is basically nil at this moment. It is scary to think that people can have such low mediocre standards of fundamental basic ethics and morals. What else does he have to do to be avoided at all costs?
Allow me to note that the Western Standard is owned and operated by Derek Fildebrandt.
He’s got a big personal axe to grind after being turfed from the UCP by Kenney. Having said that, the poll results quoted are probably comparable to other sources. I prefer to follow polls presented on the MSM summary website, National Newswatch:
https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/
Oh Derek that genius – well the results seem to be consistent with previous one so I accepted it as being ok. One never knows with these people. It still amazes me anything above 5 % of people that could support what we have seen so far which has been a fascist disaster.
Well argued.
kenney the epidemiological genius might want to read this:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/31/end-of-england-covid-lockdown-on-21-june-increasingly-in-doubt
Yes, the Indian variant is causing great concern in the UK, and they are far ahead on vaccinations and especially second doses than we are.
Tam is quite clear on re-openings, 70% first dose and 20% second dose coverage is the recommendation. But, hey, Alberta isn’t part of Canada and kenney would never trust federal recommendations, Texas is the true font of wisdom. And his talking puppet Chief PHO Henshaw goes along with his every whim and provides lame justifications.
Alberta is incredidibly poorly led, and the pudgy would-be dicatator you have running the place doesn’t give a single damn about anyone but himself. So citizens will get to experiment with his re-opening whims. Yeehaw! Alberta might be the first place to experience the fourth wave!
Thanks Bill. It never ceases to amaze me how Kenney cherry picks the facts to bolster his argument when all it takes is a simple Google search to uncover the truth. I suppose he’s counting on the fact we’re tired and overwhelmed by the constant stream of half-truths he throws at us.
The link you provided should serve as a wake up call, but Kenney will ignore it as he’s ignored everything else that doesn’t suit his narrative.
As you said Alberta is incredibly poorly led.
“This should be good news, right? So why do we feel uneasy?” Experience, probably.
I’ve actually given up. We’re not getting out of this before next spring. I’m going to keep wearing a mask and practicing physical distancing until three weeks after I get my second vaccine shot (late August, if the 4-month timing holds). If by then, as I expect Alberta to be deep into the fourth wave. Kenney’s rushed re-opening plan is pretty much bound to fail. Again.
Here’s an article from the Tyee about anti-vax sentiment in Alberta, originally published on The Sprawl website from Calgary. (Note: Does Edmonton have an equivalent to the Sprawl? If not, why not?!)
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2021/05/31/Why-So-Many-Albertans-Vaccine-Hesitant/
Our only hope is that the fourth wave, thanks to increasing vaccination rates, will be smaller than the third. (That, and if Kenney is forced to clamp down again, his political career will be finished for good and all.)
But, Ms. Soapbox, I must take exception to your assertion that the KHS “plan” is not based on the plans of other jurisdictions. I believe it is, as in, “See what they did? We’re not doing that.”😉
Mike, thanks for the link. As the article pointed out Kenney’s embrace of “libertarian-flavoured, neoliberal conservatism” is just one piece of a larger puzzle but it’s a very damaging piece, particularly when we need a collective community based approach to get through this pandemic.
Your last paragraph made me chuckle and I stand corrected. 🙂
I see so many articles claiming X number of recoveries. What does that even me when some individuals will be suffering after effects for years to come while others seem fully “recovererd”.
I think there remains far too many questions, especially since the virus continues to mutate and health professionals cannot say how effective there vaccines will be regarding variants.
This UCP government have failed Albertans time after time. This new plan makes me nervous.
Carol you raise a very important point when you talk about the long term effects of contracting covid. Kenney is nothing if not a short-term man of limited vision. I would be surprised if he’s even given it a thought.
Also I am very skeptical of the numbers we’re getting. Recently we learned that Alberta’s contract tracing was in shambles in November, at the same time Kenney et al were boasting about how well it was going. One wonders how many asymptomatic cases or mild cases went undiagnosed because people didn’t know they had come in contact with a person with covid and therefore did not get tested. Then in the spring the case count got so high AHS couldn’t continue to test all positive cases for variants and had to settle for testing a sample.
If you don’t have good raw data, how do you know what’s going on.
Exactly! It really worries me. What health issues will be presented in the future? How many people will suffer long-term consequences from having “recovered” from covid? So many questions and I have zero confidence in the UCP and less and less respect for them as well. I am hanging on until the next election, when, hopefully, they will be shown the door.
My apologies for all the typos. I am using a tablet and could not see the whole window. Grrrr
No problem Carol, I took the liberty of fixing it. I hope you don’t mind. 🙂
Not at all, thanks so much. It was frustrating. LOL
I am back home and using my trusty desktop now. 🙂
Susan: Thanks for another great blog. Given how the UCP’s reopening plans have gone before, causing cases of covid in Alberta to creep up, I wouldn’t trust the UCP’s opinion on the matter. Dr. Deena Hinshaw has basically been manipulated by the UCP, and has been forced to make decisions that she wouldn’t normally make. The NDP wanted to make Dr. Deena Hinshaw be independent, and one of their MLAs made a motion with this in mind. The UCP shot that motion down. It’s also something when the UCP has rejected the advice from the medical community to put in a circuit breaker, that cases of covid in Alberta climb, so much so, that Alberta wound up having the highest per capita rate of this virus in Canada. Recently, we had the highest per capita rate of people with covid on the North American continent. Now, that unfortunate title belongs to Manitoba. Personally, I think this latest reopening plan by the UCP is going to create problems sooner than we think. With the UCP, it will be back to the drawing board, doing more of the same old failed tactics, and more blame shifting. Another interesting development is that Alberta country singer, and philanthropist, Paul Brandt, said he won’t be performing at the Calgary Stampede this year. He happens to have the medical training and experience working as a pediatric nurse. Paul Brandt is smart enough to know the risks. I saw Paul Brandt perform at the Calgary Stampede in 2012. I know how packed it can be over there. I thought I’d share something from 1970. This was from Festival Express. It was known as Woodstock On Wheels. It was where a train holding famous musicians went from Calgary on through to other cities in Canada, like Winnipeg and Toronto. I believe this performance was from Calgary in July of 1970. It is The Weight, by The Band. 4 Canadian musicians, and one American musician, (the drummer, Levon Helm). It put Calgary on the map. People can enjoy a good memory from a previous time.
Dwayne, thanks for your great comments (and the Paul Brandt clip!). I think you’re right about the UCP’s modus operandi. They rush out a crummy policy, wait to see if there’s a backlash, go back to the drawing board, tweak it and try it again.
You may have noticed Doug Schweitzer popping up more lately. Kenney’s new narrative seems to be covid is behind us, and look, there’s Doug, he’s going to turn the economy around.
Starting in June Doug is going on the Alberta Rebound tour (it will start virtually with a speech in Toronto.) He will highlight the Recovery Plan’s three pillars: low taxes, efficient government and strengthening our workforce. If the UCP thinks their performance in these three areas is worth crowing about, they’ve lost their minds.
Susan: Here is the article about Paul Brandt not wanting to attend the Calgary Stampede this year.
https://www.thestar.com/politics/2021/05/28/country-singer-paul-brandt-wont-perform-if-calgary-stampede-goes-ahead.html
I think Paul Brandt does wonderful things for people, like the Not In My City organization, which helps combat human trafficking, and his opposition to open pit coal mining in the Rockies of Alberta is also good. The live performance in that clip is from The Band, a Canadian/American group, from 1970. I believe it was performed in Calgary. Members of The Band were Rick Danko, Levon Helm (the sole American in the group), Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, and Robbie Robertson. Festival Express was also known as Woodstock On Wheels. It’s nice to share live music, because we don’t know when we will see concerts again.
Susan: This is what put Edmonton on the map. This was recorded in November, 1971, and was released in May, 1972. It is Conquistador, from Procol Harum with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Procol Harum were made famous with the 1967 hit song, A Whiter Shade Of Pale. Procol Harum’s lead singer and pianist, Gary Brooker had his birthday on May 29. For now, these clips are a great way to enjoy live music.
Was in the Audience at the Jubilee that night. Electrified then and frequently heard played the next fall on a European walkabout. Was playing in the youth hostels and on the pirate radio ship on the radio in the Prince of Wales hotel in Tangiers. Great memories when life was good. Still is!
Sounds like wonderful memories indeed, papajaxn.
One of my favorite albums of all times. Played with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and I believe the very first time a rock band played with an Orchestra. This happened in 1971
Thank you Dwayne – I actually have this album in vinyl – times of hope and possibility that never materialized due to the same problems of big money blocking progress to serve the half dozen that are allowed to won the planet
I meant own the planet
I apologize – I think Jason Kenney is already destroying my brain cells
At this time he would not even be considered a normal person and his chances of getting close to power were the same as the Nazi party after the war. Unfortunately people fast forgot what fascism can do and are embarking in it again. I am lucky I will not be here to see the results of it and I am sorry I am leaving my well educated and great citizens to deal with this MEDIOCRITY
Carlos, you made me laugh with your comment about Kenney destroying your brain cells. I think the same think is happening to me. Every time I try to type “who” it comes out “how”. Weird, eh.
Carlos: Actually, the Canadian jazz/rock group Lighthouse performed first with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in 1970. Procol Harum was next, in 1971. I have the album too. Mine happens to be autographed by the band members.
Ok I am sure you are right. I was not here at the time but remember hearing about this and it had never crossed my curious mind that one day I would be living in Edmonton. I remember checking a map to figure out where this was as Canada was just starting to be on the International map at that time.
I still can’t figure out when libraries reopen? Not a bar person, but would love to go to the library, not just stand at the door with my list.
Christine, I’m like you, I’m not a bar person but I really miss my local library and all the regulars that I’ve gotten to know over the years. I checked the government website. It looks like libraries will reopen at 1/3 capacity on June 10 when we enter Stage 2 of the reopening plan
Very well said Susan. I commend you on your bravery in watching reruns of KHS pressers. They are agonizing enough the first time through.
It’s incomprehensible to me that this KHS leadership can be so spectacularly inept. Jason Kenney’s lack of empathy towards others has been displayed on numerous occasions in the past two years and is exactly the opposite of what is needed in dealing with this pandemic. This reopening plan clearly shows where his priorities are and they have a lot more to do with dollars than public health. Dr. Hinshaw is a grave disappointment in that it appears she has abdicated at least some of her medical responsibility in favour of politics. I believe that she has allowed the pandemic response to be guided more by political ideology than medical science in recent months. And if there is a more useless person than Tyler Shandro in Alberta politics I don’t know who it is. It seems that the man’s sole purpose is to repeat everything that Jason Kenney says, practically verbatim, all the while bowing and scraping obsequiously. As far as I can tell, the only original thought that he has had is that the best way to resolve a conflict is to scream at the person you disagree with from their driveway. Other than that one memorable occasion every word out his mouth appears to come directly from Kenney, which makes Shandro more of a ventriloquist’s dummy than an actual thinking person. Come to think of it, I can’t remember ever seeing both of Kenney’s hands at the same time that Shandro is speaking.
Together, this collective brain trust has crafted a reopening plan that appears to be designed to claim whatever the crappy prize is for finishing first in the three-legged race at the company picnic rather than guiding the province safely out of this mess. Albertans, being the ones unlucky enough to be tied to this group, simply wish that their ‘teammates’ could find a way to stop falling on their face every time they take a step so that we can all make it to the finish line.
Thanks Guy. I especially liked your comment about Shandro. He had a major dust up with reporters yesterday. He held a press conference to announce some major changes (about god knows what, I’ve lose track) but failed to give the reporters a tech briefing or provide them with an advance copy of the 200 page document they were supposed to ask him questions about. Shandro said it was an inadvertent mistake. The CP reporter Dean Bennett wasn’t buying it and called Shandro out hard on the point.
Inadvertent or intentional…either way it’s bad.
I am sure the 200 page document will be something to give his wife’s health care company a push. After all what is the purpose of being a minister for UCP?
Just another ring around the rosie of “crazy-making”. I guess I will go plant some more vegetables in the open community garden plots to provide some food for the homeless shelter just down the street from the doggie daycare. All the while remembering what my father’s comment to me when in my youth in the sixties said about the Stampede. He had played in Mr. Tedeshini Innisfail Boy’s Marching Band walking in the Stampede Parade in the muddy streets of Calgary in the 1930s. Why would you want to go there – it is nothing more than horses and horse houiee!! (Rhymes with Yip Pee)
papajaxn: we just got word that Edmonton’s K-days have been cancelled. It would have started 2 weeks after Stampede. I guess not everyone is comfortable with Kenney’s Open for Summer plans.
No, it is not too much to ask! The only medical qualifications that Kenney and Shandro have are spin doctoring.
I am also questioning the wasted vaccine that happens when there are no shows and cancellations. It works out to be in the thousands within a week. Why can’t something be done for second doses with these?
I totally agree Hazel and I have noticed that others are asking the same question. If the available vaccine doses and appointment times are not being fully booked by those eligible for the first dose then the open bookings should be made available to those who are now eligible for a second dose. If our best protection as a society is to get people vaccinated then we should be filling as many appointment slots as possible every day regardless of whether they are first or second doses.
Hazel: very good question. The roll out of the vaccine leaves a lot to be desired. The pharmacies have a lot of latitude when it comes to dealing with the vaccines, some of them are calling people to come in if they’ve got left over vaccine. Others are not. I’ve started following VaxHunterAB @ab_vax on Twitter to find out what’s going on. These people are in touch with AHS and the pharmacies all across the province. They’re amazing.
Guy: I agree 100%.
I am sorry to deviate from the theme this week but sometimes exceptions are the norm in life.
The ultimate expression of hypocrisy yesterday by the man who fought to force gays to die without family support, the man who was behind the hijab controversy in Quebec while minister of the Crown, the man who easily mingles with neo-Nazi groups is now standing in the legislature asking for the Federal government to investigate the death of indigenous children in the care of religious orders that he himself belongs to?
Please Jason Kenney, We are not as stupid or idiotic as you.
Shame on you and your lackeys.
Sorry but I had to say it and in as public way as possible.
What the thirst for power and money does to a person is amazing but this is not greed this is a mental problem and in advanced levels. It is called a psychopathy.
Carlos, I agree with your statement that Kenney’s comments in connection with the discover of 215 Indigenous children at the Kamloops residential school are simply not enough. He’s made a commitment to fund a program to uncover burial sites in Alberta. In the Leg he said, “This discovery…prompts all of us to see whether there are things that have been left undone, particularly with respect to unknown graves or unmarked graves.” That comment worried me because it refers to uncovering the truth about things that happened in the past, but he has made no concrete commitments to take action in the here and now. One thing he could do is denounce Chris Champion his consultant on the curriculum review who is doing everything he can to whitewash and if possible erase what happened in residential schools. It’s not just a matter of history, it’s what is going on here and now everyday and we ALL have to take accountability.
Agreed, Alberta’s opening is nothing more than sloppy politics and Hinshaw is more politician than scientist. My question is, how is a seventy percent vaccination level even achievable? Twenty eight percent of Albertans are either dead set against or hesitate to be vaccinated and this twenty eight percent does not include any children or teens.
Unfortunately, we can guarantee this seventy percent will be miraculously achieved and to even question the validity of the number will be met with the ever more popular response, “I reject the premise of your question”.
Jaundiced Eye: Kenney touched on that in today’s press conference. He said natural immunity and 2nd doses are built into the 70% benchmark number and as of today we’re sitting at 63% with their first dose, 14% with natural immunity and 10% with their second dose.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see he’s double counting when he includes second doses; then he compounds his error by including the magical “natural immunity” number, no one has explained how this number is derived, let alone how long natural immunity lasts, but by continuing to refer to it he’s giving people who’ve had covid an excuse not to get vaccinated.
Actually if he wanted to he could say we’ve blown through the 70% benchmark already (63+14=77).
I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Susan, BBC reported last night that the UK rates are up 30% from last week, and they fear another wave is building steam….I share your reservations. Jim
James, I’ve seen a few articles about the UK experience. Looks like they’re watching the variants carefully and are concerned they may have to slow down with lifting the restrictions. They also note that the hospitals are feeling the pressure of the backlog in what we’ve all been calling “elective” surgery which often includes very serious illnesses and disease. The hospitals are full of these cases. This means even though we see the light at the end of the tunnel (we hope) the healthcare profession is going to be going full bore for quite some time. They need this government’s support now more than ever. God only knows whether they’ll get it.
Does this mean UCP stands for ‘United in Canning the Premier’? Regarding the ‘best summer ever’. I must hand it to Kenney & crew – they have a great track record for betting on the losing side of an issue & I do not believe that their plan to re-open will be a smooth ride. For one thing, the kids are back in school. They are children, perfect little petrie dishes of freely shared germs. Wear a mask & social distance? Please. So, given that the virus takes about two weeks to get stuck in & the kids are back in school, my guess is that by June 10th there may well be another wave of illness, vaccines notwithstanding. Children under 12 are still not being vaccinated, right? As for the Calgary Stampede, I get that folks want to party again, but there is no way that will end well since most of us will still not have had a second dose of vaccine by the time Stampede arrives.
Linda your point about the kids being back in school is a good one. Today Hinshaw said there are 417 schools with covid alerts or outbreaks. The kids only just returned to school and as you said it takes a while for symptoms to manifest themselves. My heart goes out to the teachers who are doing everything they can to keep the kids safe and make up for lost teaching time while at the same time trying to deal with the curriculum review and whatever else the Kenney government throws at them.
😊 Linda, I like that one. Kenney has accomplished the impossible—he’s united the Left, Right and Center in their desire to see the back of him.
How about this? The “Unhinged Contrarian Party.” And two slogans for their 2023 campaign:
UCP 2023: “We’re all in this together. Some of us, anyway.”
UCP 2023: “We’re against everything, even each other.”
🙂 🙂 🙂 very smart and I hope they self destroy – they very much deserve it. He is hanging on and using propaganda to its max but sooner or later the empire will fall. That is the day I want to open the province because we will be able to breath again
As far as I am concerned I have no trust in whatever this government is saying. The “Deep Analysis” coming from Jason Kenney simply means that was his decision.
I doubt that any of the 55% of people that want him resign actually believes any statement he makes. or Shandro or even Deena Hinshaw. She has proven to be on their side with or without any scientific backing. It is clear that she went from science to protecting her good job regardless of what the facts are. She seems to be very comfortable in her puppet role and I wish her good luck on living with her own choices. Life can be tricky.
KHS is definitely a good acronym for what AHS has become lately.
Carlos: The NDP wanted to make Dr. Deena Hinshaw independent. The UCP basically shot that idea down. Clearly, the UCP are controlling Dr. Deena Hinshaw, like a child is playing with a remote controlled toy car. The end results aren’t good.
Carlos, the words “deep analysis” and Jason Kenney are mutually exclusive. There’s nothing whatsoever “deep” about this man.
🙂 🙂 🙂 yes of course – the only thing deep is the bag of lies
There is more than a whiff of desperation to Kenney’s “best summer ever”. Perhaps if he says it often enough, like an incantation, he may be able to bring it about. If he doesn’t, I suspect he realizes his job is on the line.
Yes, everyone is tired of COVID and the restrictions due to it, and more than a little cranky at this point ,as both seem to drag on. However, we are also skeptical of the Kenney’s past premature re-openings, that in the end seem to have only led to more COVID and more restrictions. I don’t think many people want to see another repeat of that.
So, I don’t think Kenney’s carnival barker approach is going over that well. His credibility is already severely depleted. Other Premiers, such as Ontario’s, having been burned by trying to open to quickly before are being more cautious this time. However, it seems Kenney stubbornly wants to continue to march to his own beat, which hasn’t worked well for Alberta so far.
Dave it was interesting to see Kenney take questions from the reporters today. He was asked whether he’d like to see a statue of John A Macdonald at the Leg. Instead of answering the question per se he launched into a long discussion about Canada being worth celebrating, how we can’t “cancel” Canada’s history, and how certain Liberal PMs and Tommy Douglas and the Famous Five had horrible ideas. (Yes, but none of them were the prime minister who tried to commit genocide on Indigenous peoples).
Kenney is trapped by his religion and ideology. To condemn what happened in Kamloops and at all the other residential schools across the land he would have to condemn the Catholic Church and his hero John A. It will never happen.
Susan: This is Paul Brandt performing at the 2012 Calgary Stampede, for the 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede. I was at one of these performances. The song is Didn’t Even See The Dust. This was awesome.
Calgary has many great bands and musicians. The Original Caste, The Stampeders, Jann Arden, Paul Brandt, Lindsey Ell, and even the original drummer from Three Dog Night, Floyd Sneed, was from Calgary.
Wow! That’s a great clip Dwayne. The fact he can play the guitar AND dangle off a crane is incredible. And the fact he pulled out of this year’s Stampede really sends a message. Thanks.
Susan: This was a great performance. I think for a future blog, there should be a clip of someone’s favourite concert to share. I’m not sure about future concerts in Alberta. I gave three stellar performances, which happened in Alberta. One from the Canadian/American group, The Band (from 1970), one from the British rock band, Procol Harum, live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, (recorded in 1971, and released in 1972), and one from Calgary country music artist, Paul Brandt, (live at the Calgary Stampede in 2012). I heard that other festivals in Alberta aren’t going to happen, and I think it’s because they know the risks are too great. I’ve actually seen Paul Brandt 8 times live, and I met him.
Well do you know why we have no schools with this person’s name? It is obvious why.
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2021/06/02/National-Crime-Residential-Schools/
It hurts to see this group of goons trying to survive with propaganda and spin
Jason Kenney answer at least one darn question – do you want the statues of John Macdonald at our legislature? We are not cancelling history at all he is our first prime minister but just like all of them until today he dismissed the indigenous people and did not really care much about it other than making sure they would be eliminated. Yes until today because this has been known all along but it was easier to gamble they would somehow disappear.
It’s unfortunate, but many still praise the premier of Alberta, (can he be called that?). They think his comments on the residential school issue are acceptable. This is the same politician who called things Peter Lougheed and Don Getty were doing Neo-Stalinist, and acting like he never knew he said such things.
Yes Dwayne good question – Premier? of what? Lying and saying whatever comes to mind without any thought to it. Just mental and how deep is what I would like to know.
What if they had a stampede and nobody came?
I doubt it especially in Calgary
Carlos: Look at what the UCP have been up to in Edmonton. It gets more infuriating all the time.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/06/02/why-a-sky-palace-photo-of-alberta-premier-jason-kenney-has-hit-a-nerve.html
Yes this is big news but frankly I think that Jason Kenney does not care at all and he will not apologize ever and life goes on and he knows that those that are in his cult will not abandon him. A mixture of religion, extreme right wing and libertarianism is a cult that one only abandons with therapy and he knows that because he himself is addicted to it, meaning considering themselves the chosen ones, being on constant bully state to guide the sinners into submission of their lord and of course market fundamentalism that apparently was also given by God to them as part of their 10 0r 11 commandments. Summarizing Pseudo-Christian market fundamentalists.
Another day another UCP scandal is the saying in Alberta these days
and people are starting to call him BUMBLES which is a great name
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2021/06/03/news/church-Catholic-refusal-release-records-hinder-identification-buried-children-Turpel-Lafond
How is this possible? So much for the rule of Law
So these religious groups are basically criminals and they refuse to release the information?
Can someone explain to me how this is possible?
This would not happen wonder my watch and if we as a people accept this without doing anything about it we are all cowards.
Susan: Look at what the premier of Alberta has been up to, as of late. Is it even right to call him the premier of Alberta?
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/06/02/why-a-sky-palace-photo-of-alberta-premier-jason-kenney-has-hit-a-nerve.html
I just don’t know how much lower the UCP can go, but every time, they exceed my expectations.