IT STARTS WITH KENNEY'S REFUSAL
TO LOCK DOWN THE PROVINCE
Dylan Short
EDMOPNTON JOURNAL
4/10/2021
Albertans are voicing frustration at neighbours and businesses who are blatantly breaking public health restrictions with little to no consequences a year into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alberta has been navigating the global pandemic with various levels of public health restrictions with a variety of businesses opening and closing over the past 13 months. People have been dealing with rules around gatherings, eating at restaurants and where they need to wear masks among other things.
Glori Meldrum, who lives in Edmonton, said she has neighbours who have held several large gatherings over the past few weeks with close to a dozen vehicles parking outside each time despite current rules prohibiting all indoor gatherings. She said she has filed complaints but has yet to see anyone enforce the government-mandated regulations.
Several other Albertans have gone to social media to raise concerns over similar situations where neighbours have openly defied orders.
“It’s frustrating. I mean, I’m not gonna say that it’s not,” said Meldrum. “I couldn’t believe it when it was in my own backyard, and nobody would do anything.”
She said she initially called police to file a complaint but was told it was a provincial issue, so she reached out to Alberta Health Services and eventually filled out an online submission. She said it is frustrating to see gathering limits and wearing masks turn into divisive issues that people won’t comply with while she has friends waiting for surgeries that were postponed due to the pandemic.
“There are rules that need to be followed and the government can’t expect us to follow them if there are no consequences,” said Meldrum.
Provincial chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has said several times that public health orders are enforced by local law enforcement or public health inspectors. Police have the authority to issue fines, but Alberta RCMP have previously said only health inspectors have the authority to close a business.
AHS spokesman Kerry Williamson said the health agency is aware that there are some Albertans openly defying health restrictions but that the majority of people follow them closely.
“Our public health inspectors and teams have been working hard for more than a year now to educate and, when appropriate, enforce compliance,” said Williamson. “The demands on our teams have grown significantly since the beginning of the pandemic.”
Willimason said he understands restrictions are difficult at times and COVID-19 fatigue has set in for many, but he implored Albertans to continue to follow the rules.
Meldrum said a year into the pandemic, the educational approach hasn’t worked, pointing to positive cases beginning to rise in recent weeks.
AHS Tom McMillan said people who violate health restrictions could receive a $1,000 fine.
“Additionally, you can be prosecuted for up to $100,000 for a first offence, and additional measures, including closures, can occur,” said McMillan.
The AHS website shows there are seven active work orders against various businesses in the Edmonton Zone and one active closure order.
This past week, AHS enforced that closure order at GraceLife Church in Parkland County by erecting layers of fencing around the building, physically closing the church after the order was issued in January. The church’s congregation was observed on multiple occasions gathering in large groups without wearing masks or physically distancing from one another.
Meldrum said it was good to see the rules being enforced against the church that openly questioned public health measures but said she’s concerned that it took months for the enforcement. She said she believes a previous lack of enforcement at the church emboldened others to break the rules.
“You need to need to enforce it and they didn’t do that. They just let them go and let them go … that’s just not OK,” said Meldrum. “But when they did it, I was so proud.”
© David Bloom The RCMP watch as parishioners arrive for Easter Sunday Service at GraceLife Church, in Edmonton Sunday April 4, 2021. The church continues to defy COVID-19 public health orders and restrictions.
Albertans are voicing frustration at neighbours and businesses who are blatantly breaking public health restrictions with little to no consequences a year into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alberta has been navigating the global pandemic with various levels of public health restrictions with a variety of businesses opening and closing over the past 13 months. People have been dealing with rules around gatherings, eating at restaurants and where they need to wear masks among other things.
Glori Meldrum, who lives in Edmonton, said she has neighbours who have held several large gatherings over the past few weeks with close to a dozen vehicles parking outside each time despite current rules prohibiting all indoor gatherings. She said she has filed complaints but has yet to see anyone enforce the government-mandated regulations.
Several other Albertans have gone to social media to raise concerns over similar situations where neighbours have openly defied orders.
“It’s frustrating. I mean, I’m not gonna say that it’s not,” said Meldrum. “I couldn’t believe it when it was in my own backyard, and nobody would do anything.”
She said she initially called police to file a complaint but was told it was a provincial issue, so she reached out to Alberta Health Services and eventually filled out an online submission. She said it is frustrating to see gathering limits and wearing masks turn into divisive issues that people won’t comply with while she has friends waiting for surgeries that were postponed due to the pandemic.
“There are rules that need to be followed and the government can’t expect us to follow them if there are no consequences,” said Meldrum.
Provincial chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has said several times that public health orders are enforced by local law enforcement or public health inspectors. Police have the authority to issue fines, but Alberta RCMP have previously said only health inspectors have the authority to close a business.
AHS spokesman Kerry Williamson said the health agency is aware that there are some Albertans openly defying health restrictions but that the majority of people follow them closely.
“Our public health inspectors and teams have been working hard for more than a year now to educate and, when appropriate, enforce compliance,” said Williamson. “The demands on our teams have grown significantly since the beginning of the pandemic.”
Willimason said he understands restrictions are difficult at times and COVID-19 fatigue has set in for many, but he implored Albertans to continue to follow the rules.
Meldrum said a year into the pandemic, the educational approach hasn’t worked, pointing to positive cases beginning to rise in recent weeks.
AHS Tom McMillan said people who violate health restrictions could receive a $1,000 fine.
“Additionally, you can be prosecuted for up to $100,000 for a first offence, and additional measures, including closures, can occur,” said McMillan.
The AHS website shows there are seven active work orders against various businesses in the Edmonton Zone and one active closure order.
This past week, AHS enforced that closure order at GraceLife Church in Parkland County by erecting layers of fencing around the building, physically closing the church after the order was issued in January. The church’s congregation was observed on multiple occasions gathering in large groups without wearing masks or physically distancing from one another.
Meldrum said it was good to see the rules being enforced against the church that openly questioned public health measures but said she’s concerned that it took months for the enforcement. She said she believes a previous lack of enforcement at the church emboldened others to break the rules.
“You need to need to enforce it and they didn’t do that. They just let them go and let them go … that’s just not OK,” said Meldrum. “But when they did it, I was so proud.”
Related
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More fencing, noise complaints around GraceLife Church after shut down
One-quarter of premier's caucus revolts against latest pandemic measures
GraceLife Church shuttered by authorities after months of flouting COVID-19 rules
COVID-19: Rural Alberta restaurant defies public health orders
Sarah Komadina
Sarah Komadina
GLOBAL NEWS
4/10/2021
One day after the Alberta government prohibited dine-in service at all restaurants, Christopher Scott, owner of the Whistle Stop Café, isn't listening.
One day after the Alberta government prohibited dine-in service at all restaurants, Christopher Scott, owner of the Whistle Stop Café, isn't listening.
© Global News A lineup for food outside of the Whistle Stop Cafe, where people aren't following public health orders.
More than 200 people went to Mirror, Alta., located about 150 kilometres south of Edmonton, on Saturday, with some travelling from Saskatchewan and Ontario, but everyone ignoring provincial health restrictions.
"We have live music, which has been deemed against the rule. We have dine-in service, which is against the rules, we have people congregating and visiting, which is against the rules, and I don't think I've seen one masked person here, which is against the rules," Scott said.
"We started planning this the day of the announcement."
Scott said he isn't surprised with the number of people who showed up.
"What this is about is people being limited in making their own choices," Scott said.
Alberta Health Services did an inspection on Friday when the restrictions for dine-in services came into effect.
AHS told Global News that staff visited the Whistle Stop Café on Friday “in response to public claims by the operator that they would not be complying with COVID-19 restrictions.”
“As a result of non-compliance with (chief medical officer of health) orders, a closure order will be issued to cease dine-in services and further enforcement actions, including suspension of the operator’s food handling permit, will be pursued if the order is not complied with,” AHS said of its inspection of the Whistle Stop Café.
During an update Saturday, Premier Jason Kenney urged people to follow measures put in place.
"It would be tragic if a gathering would result in a superspreader event," Kenney said.
The premier said Alberta is on track to have 2,000 new infections a day and 1,000 people in hospital with COVID-19 by the end of April, and that the third wave is being driven by variants.
Scott said he has no plans to stop holding these types of gatherings in defiance of public health orders.
More than 200 people went to Mirror, Alta., located about 150 kilometres south of Edmonton, on Saturday, with some travelling from Saskatchewan and Ontario, but everyone ignoring provincial health restrictions.
"We have live music, which has been deemed against the rule. We have dine-in service, which is against the rules, we have people congregating and visiting, which is against the rules, and I don't think I've seen one masked person here, which is against the rules," Scott said.
"We started planning this the day of the announcement."
Scott said he isn't surprised with the number of people who showed up.
"What this is about is people being limited in making their own choices," Scott said.
Alberta Health Services did an inspection on Friday when the restrictions for dine-in services came into effect.
AHS told Global News that staff visited the Whistle Stop Café on Friday “in response to public claims by the operator that they would not be complying with COVID-19 restrictions.”
“As a result of non-compliance with (chief medical officer of health) orders, a closure order will be issued to cease dine-in services and further enforcement actions, including suspension of the operator’s food handling permit, will be pursued if the order is not complied with,” AHS said of its inspection of the Whistle Stop Café.
During an update Saturday, Premier Jason Kenney urged people to follow measures put in place.
"It would be tragic if a gathering would result in a superspreader event," Kenney said.
The premier said Alberta is on track to have 2,000 new infections a day and 1,000 people in hospital with COVID-19 by the end of April, and that the third wave is being driven by variants.
Scott said he has no plans to stop holding these types of gatherings in defiance of public health orders.
Edmonton pub defying COVID-19 restrictions, remains open
The owners of a north Edmonton pub said they are not going to close in-person dining despite new COVID-19 measures announced this week requiring them to do so.
Crown and Anchor Pub and Grill owners Theresa and Terry Shaw said they will stand by their values and remain open.
"We are doing this for amazing, dedicated staff and for our loyal customers who value our business and have made the choice to assess their own risk associated with in-person dining," the owners wrote in a statement.
"We will continue to uphold capacity and cleaning standards and cannot emphasize how much we understand the duty and care government and Alberta Health have to Alberta."
Effective noon Friday, Alberta restaurants must now close to indoor dining service. Takeout, delivery, curbside pickup and patios are still allowed to operate under additional public health restrictions announced Tuesday by Premier Jason Kenney.
It is the third time since last March that Alberta restaurants have been forced to close their doors.
The Shaws said they complied with the measures on the previous two occasions but, "That is over. We have done our part. It is time for the provincial government and Alberta Health to do their part."
"The benchmarks have moved so many times these past six months that trust and competence are significantly questionable," the statement read.
A number of other restaurants and pubs around Alberta have defied provincial restrictions and remained opened for in-person dining, including the Whistle Stop Café in Mirror, Alta., and All Jacked Up Bar and Grill in Didsbury, Alta.
"She's a pillar of this community and she's in financial ruin because of this law that we don't think is just," Didsbury resident Gavin Smith said. "They're masking. The rules are being followed."
After the restrictions were announced Tuesday, a spokesperson with Alberta Health said the measures were based on evidence in the province and around the world that show settings like fitness facilities and restaurants are at increased risk of disease transmission.
“Restaurants, as with similar settings where people congregate together, have a higher risk due to people sitting closely together, typically unmasked, for extended periods of time,” Tom McMillan said.
“We have also observed a number of recent cases and outbreaks linked to restaurants and fitness settings across the province.”
The premier said Alberta is on track to have 2,000 new infections a day and 1,000 people in hospital with COVID-19 by the end of April, and that the third wave is being driven by variants.
READ MORE: Alberta restaurants close to in-person dining as COVID-19 restrictions take effect
The owners of a north Edmonton pub said they are not going to close in-person dining despite new COVID-19 measures announced this week requiring them to do so.
© Charles Taylor, Global News Edmonton's Crown and Anchor Pub and Grill defies provincial COVID-19 measures by remaining open for in-person dining, Saturday, April 10, 2021.
Crown and Anchor Pub and Grill owners Theresa and Terry Shaw said they will stand by their values and remain open.
"We are doing this for amazing, dedicated staff and for our loyal customers who value our business and have made the choice to assess their own risk associated with in-person dining," the owners wrote in a statement.
"We will continue to uphold capacity and cleaning standards and cannot emphasize how much we understand the duty and care government and Alberta Health have to Alberta."
Effective noon Friday, Alberta restaurants must now close to indoor dining service. Takeout, delivery, curbside pickup and patios are still allowed to operate under additional public health restrictions announced Tuesday by Premier Jason Kenney.
It is the third time since last March that Alberta restaurants have been forced to close their doors.
The Shaws said they complied with the measures on the previous two occasions but, "That is over. We have done our part. It is time for the provincial government and Alberta Health to do their part."
"The benchmarks have moved so many times these past six months that trust and competence are significantly questionable," the statement read.
A number of other restaurants and pubs around Alberta have defied provincial restrictions and remained opened for in-person dining, including the Whistle Stop Café in Mirror, Alta., and All Jacked Up Bar and Grill in Didsbury, Alta.
"She's a pillar of this community and she's in financial ruin because of this law that we don't think is just," Didsbury resident Gavin Smith said. "They're masking. The rules are being followed."
After the restrictions were announced Tuesday, a spokesperson with Alberta Health said the measures were based on evidence in the province and around the world that show settings like fitness facilities and restaurants are at increased risk of disease transmission.
“Restaurants, as with similar settings where people congregate together, have a higher risk due to people sitting closely together, typically unmasked, for extended periods of time,” Tom McMillan said.
“We have also observed a number of recent cases and outbreaks linked to restaurants and fitness settings across the province.”
The premier said Alberta is on track to have 2,000 new infections a day and 1,000 people in hospital with COVID-19 by the end of April, and that the third wave is being driven by variants.
READ MORE: Alberta restaurants close to in-person dining as COVID-19 restrictions take effect
