Notley says government inaction on pandemic has province going backward
By Al Beeber on September 4, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley said Friday at the Galt Museum that premier Jason Kenney has failed the province with new masking mandates.Joined by NDP finance critic and MLA for Lethbridge West Shannon Phillips, Notley said a vaccine passport would be preferable to forcing COVID-19 restrictions upon Albertans again.
Starting at 8 a.m. this morning, Albertans must wear masks indoors at all pubic spaces and work places. Also starting today licensed establishment such as restaurants and bars will have close at 10 p.m.
Notley said “in the last 18 months Albertans have stepped up, they’ve got their neighbours’ groceries, they’ve shovelled their walks and yes, they’ve gotten their vaccines. Through this pandemic, the majority of us have upheld the deep responsibility we all feel towards caring not only for ourselves but our fellow Albertans. Now those same Albertans, the ones that did the right thing, will pay for the poor decisions of a few. And they will pay for the poor decisions of this premier. Jason Kenney will take millions of dollars from Albertans who have done the right thing and give it to those who have refused to follow the advice of doctors and nurses and healthcare professionals and scientists.”
She said Kenney is catering to those who haven’t been vaccinated by offering people over 18 a $100 gift card to get their first or second needle.
The unvaccinated now don’t have to do their part until they’re paid, said Notley.
“This is a dangerous message for this pandemic and for future ones. After all the hard work and sacrifices Albertans have made it is clear Jason Kenney’s incompetence and inactions have erased this progress and now we will go backwards,” Notley said.
The return to curfews and masking and more working from home as well as isolation “are not the measures Albertans wanted to see right now,” the NDP leader added.
“We have a very serious problem. Unvaccinated Albertans are getting sick, some of them very severely sick, suffering severe health complications and in some cases dying,” she said.
Notley said the province needs to stop the spread of COVID to protect families and keep businesses open. She added all children need to be protected in their schools.
“Across Canada, the largest provinces are all adapting vaccine passports,” said Notley who on Thursday proposed “a simple secure and scannable vaccine passport that would be mandatory for all non-essential businesses.”
Rules for bars, restaurants and sports arenas would mean unvaccinated people would not get in the door, she said.
In grocery stores, hardware stores and drug stores, unvaccinated Albertans would have to wear a mask.
“But every responsible fully vaccinated Albertan can live their life as normal,” she said, adding that the economy would start recovering on a long-term basis.
Businesses that have struggled during the pandemic including gyms, restaurants, stores and concert venues could stay open to full capacity.
“Those who choose not to be vaccinated don’t get to do the same activities as the majority of Albertans. They may not like it but it’s about their health and it is also about the health of every single Albertan who depends on our strong public healthcare system.”
AHS’s announcement Friday of cancellations between 30 to 60 per cent of scheduled surgeries starting next week is something “we can’t let continue. The rest of us not only should we be able to get the health care we need when we need it, we should also be able to take our kids to a hockey game, we should be able to run our businesses, we should be able to feel safe in our public spaces,” Notley said.
“Enough is enough. It’s time to stand up for the majority of Albertans,” said Notley. Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter 4
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