Western Standard - May 29, 2021


Watch： Kenney's Fantastic Summer Plan - Maybe


Episode Stats

Length

18 minutes

Words per Minute

135.90775

Word Count

2,534

Sentence Count

186


Summary

Jason Kenney announces a three-stage approach to lifting the ban on outdoor eating and drinking in public restaurants and sports bars in Alberta. What does this mean for Stampede and other outdoor sports events? And what will happen in the fall and winter?


Transcript

00:00:00.000 It is the summer reopening plan, which begs the question, what will happen in the fall
00:00:06.960 and winter when flu season returns?
00:00:30.000 Nadine Wellwood with the Western Standard thought I would bring you a video that helps explain
00:00:36.800 Jason Kenney's great reopening plan.
00:00:40.660 And I want to stress, it is the summer reopening plan, which begs the question, what will happen
00:00:47.200 in the fall and winter when flu season returns?
00:00:51.780 Just saying.
00:00:52.840 Nadine So today is a little bit of a recap, and I want to throw in some polling data as well.
00:01:00.120 So if you have not checked out the Western Standard and the amazing polling data that has been released,
00:01:07.800 compliments of Main Street and commissioned by Western Standard, of course, we're going to pull
00:01:14.880 some of that polling data in today because I think it talks a little bit about Kenny's popularity and why.
00:01:20.560 Nadine Let's get started.
00:01:22.740 So Kenny did his announcement and he's talked about the summer reopening plan and how excited
00:01:30.780 he is to see Stampede move forward.
00:01:33.300 So I always thought that we lived in a free country.
00:01:36.120 I didn't actually realize that we had conditions upon our freedom, but apparently we do.
00:01:41.440 And so a rather chipper, Jason Kenney, although he did look a little tired in his address,
00:01:46.860 came forward with a three-stage approach to lifting all the restrictions.
00:01:55.040 So we apparently, once again, and I wouldn't get too excited because we've been here before,
00:02:01.100 but once again, apparently we do have a path now to removing all restrictions.
00:02:06.880 And the majority of that for the first two stages is linked to hospitalizations and vaccination rates.
00:02:13.440 And the third stage is linked primarily to vaccination rates only.
00:02:19.100 So let's dive into it because he does talk about hospitalizations.
00:02:24.680 And this is a big part of whether or not we will regain our freedom or no.
00:02:30.280 So pressure on the hospitals, obviously, he comments that the primary objective of all
00:02:37.220 of this has been to not overwhelm the healthcare system.
00:02:41.380 But again, I want to ask if we have had issues with our healthcare system, we are now 16 months
00:02:48.140 into this, instead of destroying the entire economy, crushing small businesses and destroying
00:02:56.820 Albertans' morale, why could we have not just fixed the healthcare system?
00:03:04.460 Just a question.
00:03:06.080 That's all.
00:03:06.740 Just a question.
00:03:09.240 Set up, get vaccinated.
00:03:10.900 He says there's 2.6 million first doses that have occurred.
00:03:15.220 And everything is based upon a first dose of the vaccine, not a second dose.
00:03:21.240 He did talk about the sacrifices and the losses that have occurred.
00:03:25.860 And I would say largely due to government policy, not so much due to the actual virus itself.
00:03:33.320 Businesses having been shuttered in, quote, and then dreams crushed.
00:03:39.540 We are truly leaving this behind, he states.
00:03:44.120 Albertans have to keep doing things a little longer.
00:03:47.740 So under his numbers, it looks as if the vaccine, according to the number of appointments that
00:03:58.280 have been made, will have been met.
00:04:00.700 And then they just want to wait a two-week period for those vaccines to take effectiveness.
00:04:07.200 So that is good.
00:04:09.200 He talks about the miracle of modern medicine here with the vaccine.
00:04:12.240 And 83% vaccinated or planning to get vaccinated in Alberta.
00:04:18.320 For those of you who are not planning to get vaccinated, he did say for those who are getting
00:04:25.020 vaccinated to put pressure on those who are not to use your influence.
00:04:30.640 I grew up in a time where peer pressure wasn't exactly effective, but I guess he anticipates
00:04:38.440 that we should all be vaccinated.
00:04:41.540 And it's our obligation now to help encourage our fellow Albertans to do so.
00:04:48.880 So stage one, hospitalizations of 800 and below.
00:04:53.200 Note, this is hospitalizations, not ICU.
00:04:56.820 So the hospitalization of 800 and less, 50% of Albertans must have received their first
00:05:04.540 dose of the vaccine.
00:05:07.360 So one of the things I want to bring up here, because he did talk about Texas.
00:05:10.820 And when you look at Texas, Texas actually opened up everything, lifted all restrictions,
00:05:19.200 opened up the state in March.
00:05:22.320 And in March, they had 14% of their population with a first dose vaccine.
00:05:29.600 So Alberta's is 50%, more than three times that number.
00:05:37.940 And that is just for stage one.
00:05:42.040 Stage one, worship as of Friday can resume 15% capacity.
00:05:48.700 And, of course, he wanted to acknowledge the disruption to the spiritual exercising their
00:05:57.580 rights, constitutionally protected rights, he did mention.
00:06:01.400 But that didn't stop him from jailing three pastors.
00:06:06.020 Just saying.
00:06:07.860 Outdoor gatherings, sports restaurants, 10 people for outdoor gatherings, 10 people for sporting
00:06:13.780 activities outside.
00:06:15.360 The restaurants, one I thought was interesting, because we can go back to eating outside on
00:06:21.720 patios, which is nice, seeing so many people have spent so much money actually building them
00:06:26.680 before he decided to put further restrictions on restaurants.
00:06:32.240 Thank you.
00:06:33.440 And from there, though, it's only four per table.
00:06:38.040 So prior to this, it was six per table.
00:06:41.380 Now it is four per table.
00:06:43.180 So if you are a family where you have, let's say, four children, I know that's a bit of
00:06:48.040 an anomaly today, but let's just say, pick your two favorite children, definitely do not
00:06:53.240 invite grandma, and go out and enjoy dinner.
00:06:56.260 Either that or sit at two separate tables.
00:07:00.760 Just common sense.
00:07:02.320 If it's a family, it's a family.
00:07:04.600 It doesn't matter if they're at home and it's eight or six, or if they're in a restaurant
00:07:08.640 and it's eight or six.
00:07:10.040 Okay, moving on.
00:07:14.380 Once we have done this, we then can move into stage two.
00:07:18.460 So he anticipates that we are moving into stage two rather quickly, because again, based
00:07:22.760 upon the number of appointments booked for vaccinations, we should be able to hit that
00:07:27.940 60% of Albertans have been vaccinated with their first dose.
00:07:32.520 And fewer than 500 hospitalizations.
00:07:36.860 So again, not ICU numbers, but actual hospitalizations.
00:07:40.940 Considering I think we have about 8,200 beds in Alberta, I find it interesting how we've
00:07:47.720 gone now from the focus on ICU to hospitalizations.
00:07:52.160 500 out of 8,200.
00:07:53.720 And not really staggering numbers.
00:07:55.940 Fewer than 500 patients.
00:07:58.860 He anticipates this by mid-June.
00:08:00.900 We should be able to move into stage two, where rec centers, movies.
00:08:05.160 Those of you who have been itching to get back to a movie theater and watch something on
00:08:09.880 the big screen, one-third capacity.
00:08:13.480 And gyms, obviously, large gatherings.
00:08:16.660 I love how he uses this term.
00:08:18.400 Large gatherings, 20 max.
00:08:20.540 So he was so excited, weddings can resume, but the 20 have to include your photographer,
00:08:26.180 your planner, clergy, anybody else.
00:08:28.520 So there might be enough room left in there for mom, dad, grandpa, but not much more than
00:08:34.280 that.
00:08:36.060 Sorry, this is going to be a little bit of a sarcastic day today.
00:08:40.940 Retail, half capacity.
00:08:43.880 And then he says, you know, at this stage, we're starting to look and feel a little more
00:08:48.140 normal.
00:08:48.680 A little more.
00:08:52.520 At this point, I want to touch a little bit on the polling that we've done, because Jason
00:08:56.580 Kenney's not really polling very well right now.
00:09:00.620 Not very popular.
00:09:02.140 So let's take a look at some numbers.
00:09:04.420 We have the NDP at about 35%.
00:09:08.420 We have the United Conservative Party, Jason Kenney's party, at 28.
00:09:13.140 And then we have the Wild Rose Party, who currently has no seats, new party.
00:09:18.680 And they are at 16%.
00:09:22.240 This is significantly different than even just six months ago, when the Wild Rose was maybe
00:09:29.600 coming in between four and six percent.
00:09:31.920 And of course, we're going to talk about why that is, because if we go down here and we look at Mr.
00:09:39.820 Kenney's approval on his management of COVID-19, 66% disapprove.
00:09:49.220 Now, this is a staggering number, because 20% approve.
00:09:54.680 And if you notice the two different shades of green there, they both mean slightly different.
00:09:58.020 The dark green is strongly approved with what Jason Kenney has done.
00:10:01.440 And then, of course, the darker shade of red is strongly disapproved of what Jason Kenney has done, how he's handled this.
00:10:10.280 If you look at that, you know, Jason Kenney has said that people have been very happy with how he has handled this COVID-19.
00:10:19.340 And that's not what our research and what our data is saying.
00:10:24.260 And I want to show you some other data here, because if you look at the data as far as Jason Kenney's base, which apparently he does want a new base,
00:10:34.400 NDP, 85% want to continue the lockdowns, only 11%, 12% want them to go away.
00:10:44.680 That is the NDP voter.
00:10:47.080 This is not Jason Kenney's base.
00:10:50.760 And they are actually largely unhappy with how he has dealt with this, because in their opinion, it has not been strict enough.
00:11:01.920 Now, let's go back to end the lockdowns again.
00:11:09.160 Sorry about that lockdown support.
00:11:12.960 88.3% of the Wild Rose supporters are strongly endorsing end the lockdowns immediately.
00:11:23.480 Even within the United Conservative Party supporter base, again, Jason Kenney's base, 53%, 55% have said, end the lockdowns.
00:11:37.200 So we've got two extremes happening here.
00:11:39.820 We've got the NDP voter base in Alberta that has said, you haven't done enough, Jason Kenney.
00:11:45.400 And then you've got the Jason Kenney's base, the Conservative vote on the Wild Rose and the UCP side, that have said, you have done far too much restrictions.
00:11:56.900 Jason Kenney really had to choose here as to which base he was going to appeal to.
00:12:03.220 And he has pleased neither.
00:12:05.400 If we look at how this has changed from January into May, I've had people ask me questions as to why do you think this is happening now?
00:12:21.560 Well, my answer to that is it's summertime.
00:12:25.320 And Albertans do not get nice weather and we don't get it for very long.
00:12:30.600 Summer is short here and people are just going to stop complying with the regulations.
00:12:35.780 So if he gets stricter and stricter, I think he's just going to see more noncompliance and defiance.
00:12:42.380 And I think he knows that as well as the numbers in the polls.
00:12:46.680 So we have seen significant increase in disapproval of how he's handled this.
00:12:51.420 But even from January here through to May, we can see that the numbers are shrinking on the continue the lockdown side and the numbers are significantly growing on the end of the lockdowns.
00:13:08.420 So that is just some polling numbers.
00:13:11.240 And let's hope that certainly gives you an idea as to why maybe Jason Kenney is coming out with this right now.
00:13:20.200 And why indeed we are seeing some of the restrictions lift.
00:13:27.260 So that's stage two, 150 people, large scale gatherings come in stage three.
00:13:35.460 Now, he is hopeful that the end of June, about the 28th of June, first week of July, we can enter into stage three, in which case life pretty much returns to normal.
00:13:47.260 But again, we are living now in a country, in a province where your freedom is conditional upon meeting certain targets and certain criteria.
00:14:00.400 Just keep that in mind.
00:14:02.400 Open for summer plan.
00:14:04.620 70% of Albertans must be vaccinated in order to meet the target for the stage three, in which all restrictions apparently will be lifted.
00:14:14.600 Mandatory isolation still, obviously, for those who do come in contact with COVID.
00:14:20.060 Makes sense.
00:14:21.180 Two-week quarantine still.
00:14:23.780 No hospitalization thresholds at that point.
00:14:26.980 And no man on any indoor.
00:14:28.380 The masks can come off.
00:14:29.640 Social distancing.
00:14:31.300 No capacity limits.
00:14:33.000 So we're pretty much back to normal.
00:14:34.580 I do want to mention, though, it was rather interesting yesterday because MLA, Shandro, actually had a lot of supplemental information to add to Jason Kenney, to the point where I observed also that Jason Kenney finally got to the point where it was like, do you have anything to add to that, you know, Minister Shandro?
00:14:56.920 Yay, politicians.
00:15:02.720 Today, 58% have received one dose.
00:15:05.640 Stage two reopening hit the target.
00:15:07.860 He expected that to happen today.
00:15:10.540 Stage two.
00:15:11.660 Stage two is interesting because he mentioned the number of people that needed to be vaccinated.
00:15:15.480 So we need another 380,000 Albertans to step up and receive their experimental vaccine in order to move forward with stage two.
00:15:27.640 And then stage three, of course, again, as early as 28th of June, 2021.
00:15:34.320 Small businesses will be happy to have their businesses returned to normal.
00:15:39.240 He did acknowledge just the amount of economic damage that has occurred.
00:15:43.280 For me, I'm just going to point out, one was the stress on vaccines.
00:15:50.640 And again, there's no, if we take a look at Texas, Texas opened up at 14% first dose vaccine.
00:15:59.640 And we have to have 50.
00:16:02.340 And then, of course, for everything to return to normal, we have to have 70% of the population vaccinated.
00:16:06.880 And I think currently, Texas is sitting at somewhere around 37% vaccinated.
00:16:13.740 But he does.
00:16:15.140 Kenny was hopeful that the end is near.
00:16:17.900 This is the summer reopening plan, though.
00:16:21.240 Why do we call it the summer reopening plan and not just the reopening plan?
00:16:25.240 I anticipate that he's leaving the door open for further restrictions to come in the fall when flu season resumes.
00:16:33.080 And we may see more reported cases of COVID.
00:16:37.820 He did talk about the public and putting quite a bit of pressure on your friends and family to receive the vaccine.
00:16:45.100 Again, if you choose to get vaccinated, I think that is wonderful.
00:16:49.660 I think it should be a choice.
00:16:52.280 And I don't think the government should be putting pressure on anyone because I think this is how we find division in this country.
00:16:59.780 This is how it starts.
00:17:00.880 We start dividing people into groups, vaccinated, non-vaccinated, black, white, Hispanic, Asian.
00:17:06.500 It doesn't matter.
00:17:07.400 Discrimination is discrimination.
00:17:08.520 So, you know, let's be sensitive and aware that there are people out there for legitimate reasons that don't wear masks, can't receive vaccines.
00:17:19.100 And we need to be understanding and compassionate to that.
00:17:25.180 Yeah, that's it.
00:17:26.440 Jason Kenney's reopening plan.
00:17:32.900 We'd love to hear what you think.
00:17:34.940 Is Jason Kenney actually going to be good to his word?
00:17:38.000 I know the targets have moved substantially over time.
00:17:42.280 We've heard one thing only to have something come out entirely different days, if not just weeks later.
00:17:48.580 And, you know, is this acceptable?
00:17:51.740 I know there's some people out there that are still concerned that we can't reopen too fast.
00:17:56.800 Then there's other people who are like, we can't reopen fast enough.
00:18:00.220 So we would love to hear your comments, your feedback.
00:18:03.460 Tell us what you think.
00:18:04.600 Tell us what you thought of our polling data as well.
00:18:08.000 What you liked about that.
00:18:09.640 If any of that was shocking news to you.
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