'Your life in Alberta is only worth $100': Canadians furious after Alberta''s promise to pay unvaccinated residents to take the shot
Elisabetta Bianchini
Fri., September 3, 2021,
Adults in Alberta who haven't been fully vaccinated yet have now been given an incentive to do so with the provincial government announcing that it is offering $100 to anyone who receives a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between Sept. 3 and Oct. 14.
A total of 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases not in hospital ICUs are unvaccinated and over 91 per cent in ICU are unvaccinated.
"For the love for God, please get vaccinated," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said. "These numbers say it better than anybody every could."
"The reality is that we as a government don't get to choose how the virus behaves or how many people choose to protect themselves against it. We just have to find a way of limiting the damage that it causes, especially to our healthcare system."
In order to receive $100 after vaccination, each eligible Albertan can register online to have their immunization data validated. This website will be available starting on Sept. 13 and individuals who do not have access to a computer can contact 310-0000 for assistance on that same date.
When questioned about why the provincial government is compensating people who have "held out" to get a COVID-19 vaccine, when they're the people driving the pandemic situation in the province, Kenney defended the provincial government's approach.
"I wish we didn't have to do this but this is not a time for moral judgement, this is a time to get people vaccinated," Kenney said. "We have done everything we can, left no stone unturned, made it as easy as possible...and yet we have the lowest vaccination rate in Canada, we are about five percentage points below the Canadian average."
"If the choice is between a sustained crisis in our hospitals or, God forbid, widespread restrictions, which I want to avoid at all costs, or finding some way to get the attention of those vaccine latecomers, we're going to choose the latter."
Kenney went on to say that "remove some of the barriers" to vaccination for lower income groups in the province.
"Imagine that you might be a very low-income person, living in a remote area, who can't afford the gas to drive into town to get the shot, this will cover you," the premier said. "Maybe you're a very low-income person who can't afford a taxi to go to the local pharmacy, what have you, and you're not aware of the free ride shares that we're offering, this will give you that little bit of help."
"I think this may also help to reduce barriers for some of the folks who might be facing barriers because of lower income status."
Several people have taken to social media to comment on Alberta's decision to provide $100 to individuals who have yet to be fully vaccinated, if they come forward and do so.
Braid: Payoff for getting vaccinated is a panicky bribe for the undeserving
It’s divisive and wasteful, a pathetic attempt to keep the peace with the anti-vax, anti-mask elements
Author of the article: Don Braid • Calgary Herald
This could cost the public upwards of $80 million if everyone eligible runs out and gets vaccinated.
And nobody who scores a pre-loaded debit card will have full protection for nearly two months — weeks after the latest COVID wave is expected to peak and start falling.
It’s divisive and wasteful; a pathetic attempt to keep the peace with the anti-vax, anti-mask elements in Kenney’s party and government.
There were hundreds of bitter wisecracks about this on social media. My belly-laugh prize (not cash) goes to @glenkrueger, who said: “Jason Kenney has just announced an equalization payment from the vaccinated to the unvaccinated.”
Premier Kenney went on about how these people should have gotten themselves vaccinated, but didn’t, and as a result fuelled the entire fourth wave.
It’s their fault, he says. But they don’t get penalized, or even scolded with any heat.
Grilled fiercely about the payments, Kenney said: “I wish we didn’t have to do this. But this isn’t a time for judgments.”
Past premiers who bought off Albertans — Ralph Klein with his $400 cheques from a big budget surplus, Peter Lougheed with subsidies for mortgage interest — rewarded nearly everyone. That made conservatives mad in principle but not in practice.
Of course, the person who offers a bribe always expects something in return. In this case, it’s higher vaccination rates, but also more acceptance of the renewed provincewide indoor mask mandate and restrictions such as stopping booze sales at 10 p.m.
The UCP didn’t move toward vaccine passports, either, and that’s another throw to the UCP faction opposed to measures of any kind.
Rather than mandating compliance, this government would rather give away your cash.
Most of all, this massive gift to a newly privileged, cranky minority acknowledges the utter failure of UCP efforts to persuade enough people to get shots.
Kenney says the government has done everything physically possible to increase the vaccination rate, but it hasn’t worked.
That says a lot, none of it good, about his own powers of persuasion.
He has too often been ambiguous about his measures, expressing his personal distaste while making wildly optimistic predictions.
Kenney might even have contributed to vaccine hesitancy, and hence the current wave, by declaring the pandemic basically over in June and trumpeting that we were about to have the best Alberta summer ever.
Elisabetta Bianchini
Fri., September 3, 2021,
Adults in Alberta who haven't been fully vaccinated yet have now been given an incentive to do so with the provincial government announcing that it is offering $100 to anyone who receives a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between Sept. 3 and Oct. 14.
A total of 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases not in hospital ICUs are unvaccinated and over 91 per cent in ICU are unvaccinated.
"For the love for God, please get vaccinated," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said. "These numbers say it better than anybody every could."
"The reality is that we as a government don't get to choose how the virus behaves or how many people choose to protect themselves against it. We just have to find a way of limiting the damage that it causes, especially to our healthcare system."
In order to receive $100 after vaccination, each eligible Albertan can register online to have their immunization data validated. This website will be available starting on Sept. 13 and individuals who do not have access to a computer can contact 310-0000 for assistance on that same date.
When questioned about why the provincial government is compensating people who have "held out" to get a COVID-19 vaccine, when they're the people driving the pandemic situation in the province, Kenney defended the provincial government's approach.
"I wish we didn't have to do this but this is not a time for moral judgement, this is a time to get people vaccinated," Kenney said. "We have done everything we can, left no stone unturned, made it as easy as possible...and yet we have the lowest vaccination rate in Canada, we are about five percentage points below the Canadian average."
"If the choice is between a sustained crisis in our hospitals or, God forbid, widespread restrictions, which I want to avoid at all costs, or finding some way to get the attention of those vaccine latecomers, we're going to choose the latter."
Kenney went on to say that "remove some of the barriers" to vaccination for lower income groups in the province.
"Imagine that you might be a very low-income person, living in a remote area, who can't afford the gas to drive into town to get the shot, this will cover you," the premier said. "Maybe you're a very low-income person who can't afford a taxi to go to the local pharmacy, what have you, and you're not aware of the free ride shares that we're offering, this will give you that little bit of help."
"I think this may also help to reduce barriers for some of the folks who might be facing barriers because of lower income status."
Several people have taken to social media to comment on Alberta's decision to provide $100 to individuals who have yet to be fully vaccinated, if they come forward and do so.
Braid: Payoff for getting vaccinated is a panicky bribe for the undeserving
It’s divisive and wasteful, a pathetic attempt to keep the peace with the anti-vax, anti-mask elements
Author of the article: Don Braid • Calgary Herald
Publishing date:Sep 03, 2021 •
Premier Jason Kenney removes his mask prior to announcing the province’s new COVID measures at McDougall Centre in Calgary on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI/POSTMEDIA
It may be the kookiest thing an Alberta government has done since Social Credit politicians printed “funny money” they called Prosperity Certificates.
The new $100 cash reward for those who get COVID-19 vaccinations starting Sept. 3 is nothing but a bribe — and a vast insult to 70 per cent of the public who went for their shots voluntarily.
It may be the kookiest thing an Alberta government has done since Social Credit politicians printed “funny money” they called Prosperity Certificates.
The new $100 cash reward for those who get COVID-19 vaccinations starting Sept. 3 is nothing but a bribe — and a vast insult to 70 per cent of the public who went for their shots voluntarily.
This could cost the public upwards of $80 million if everyone eligible runs out and gets vaccinated.
And nobody who scores a pre-loaded debit card will have full protection for nearly two months — weeks after the latest COVID wave is expected to peak and start falling.
It’s divisive and wasteful; a pathetic attempt to keep the peace with the anti-vax, anti-mask elements in Kenney’s party and government.
There were hundreds of bitter wisecracks about this on social media. My belly-laugh prize (not cash) goes to @glenkrueger, who said: “Jason Kenney has just announced an equalization payment from the vaccinated to the unvaccinated.”
Premier Kenney went on about how these people should have gotten themselves vaccinated, but didn’t, and as a result fuelled the entire fourth wave.
It’s their fault, he says. But they don’t get penalized, or even scolded with any heat.
Grilled fiercely about the payments, Kenney said: “I wish we didn’t have to do this. But this isn’t a time for judgments.”
Past premiers who bought off Albertans — Ralph Klein with his $400 cheques from a big budget surplus, Peter Lougheed with subsidies for mortgage interest — rewarded nearly everyone. That made conservatives mad in principle but not in practice.
Of course, the person who offers a bribe always expects something in return. In this case, it’s higher vaccination rates, but also more acceptance of the renewed provincewide indoor mask mandate and restrictions such as stopping booze sales at 10 p.m.
The UCP didn’t move toward vaccine passports, either, and that’s another throw to the UCP faction opposed to measures of any kind.
Rather than mandating compliance, this government would rather give away your cash.
Most of all, this massive gift to a newly privileged, cranky minority acknowledges the utter failure of UCP efforts to persuade enough people to get shots.
Kenney says the government has done everything physically possible to increase the vaccination rate, but it hasn’t worked.
That says a lot, none of it good, about his own powers of persuasion.
He has too often been ambiguous about his measures, expressing his personal distaste while making wildly optimistic predictions.
Kenney might even have contributed to vaccine hesitancy, and hence the current wave, by declaring the pandemic basically over in June and trumpeting that we were about to have the best Alberta summer ever.
Demonstrators protest vaccinations and mandates at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary on Wednesday. PHOTO BY DARREN MAKOWICHUK/POSTMEDIA
And there’s no action against the appalling scourge of anti-vaxxers blocking hospital entrances and harassing medical workers.
AHS boss Dr. Verna Yiu condemned this Friday but didn’t ask for anything beyond an end to these sick, amoral protests.
Some people noted that the UCP passed Bill 1, which prohibits interference with economic infrastructure including pipelines, rail lines and much more, on pain of large fines.
The law does not include health facilities, but easily could with a simple addition. Will the UCP do that? Or do they only worry about one kind of protester?
It’s clear now that in this weird summer of government drift and torpor, now followed by the latest panicked spasm, the UCP has lost contact with Alberta opinion.
The latest poll from Leger Research shows that 77 per cent of Albertans support a vaccine passport.
Also, just 31 per cent of Albertans were satisfied with measures in place to fight COVID-19.
That’s 12 points behind the next lowest province, Manitoba, and far back of Quebec, B.C. and even restless Ontario.
Most galling of all for Kenney, the UCP runs more than 20 points behind Albertans’ approval of federal pandemic measures.
More and more, Kenney and his caucus and cabinet seem to be governing a province of their own imagination. Kookily.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald
And there’s no action against the appalling scourge of anti-vaxxers blocking hospital entrances and harassing medical workers.
AHS boss Dr. Verna Yiu condemned this Friday but didn’t ask for anything beyond an end to these sick, amoral protests.
Some people noted that the UCP passed Bill 1, which prohibits interference with economic infrastructure including pipelines, rail lines and much more, on pain of large fines.
The law does not include health facilities, but easily could with a simple addition. Will the UCP do that? Or do they only worry about one kind of protester?
It’s clear now that in this weird summer of government drift and torpor, now followed by the latest panicked spasm, the UCP has lost contact with Alberta opinion.
The latest poll from Leger Research shows that 77 per cent of Albertans support a vaccine passport.
Also, just 31 per cent of Albertans were satisfied with measures in place to fight COVID-19.
That’s 12 points behind the next lowest province, Manitoba, and far back of Quebec, B.C. and even restless Ontario.
Most galling of all for Kenney, the UCP runs more than 20 points behind Albertans’ approval of federal pandemic measures.
More and more, Kenney and his caucus and cabinet seem to be governing a province of their own imagination. Kookily.
Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald
Corbella: UCP's vaccine bribery scheme is no carrot or stick, it's a slap in the face to the already vaccinated
Talk about reinforcing negative behaviour. It's the epitome of bad parenting and bad ethics.
Talk about reinforcing negative behaviour. It's the epitome of bad parenting and bad ethics.
KENNEY IS A 52 YR OLD BACHELOR HE WOULDN'T KNOW
Author of the article: Licia Corbella
Publishing date: Sep 03, 2021 •
Author of the article: Licia Corbella
Publishing date: Sep 03, 2021 •
Premier Jason Kenney announces the province's new COVID restrictions at McDougall Centre in Calgary on Friday, September 3, 2021.
PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
The definition of bribery is giving someone money or something else of value to persuade that person to do something you want.
In what can only be described as government-sanctioned bribery, Alberta’s UCP government is going to offer the vaccine hesitant a $100 cash card to get vaccinated.
Talk about reinforcing negative behaviour. It’s the epitome of bad parenting and bad ethics.
Alberta’s Health Minister Tyler Shandro said that starting immediately, every Albertan who receives a first or second dose of COVID-19 between Sept. 3 and Oct. 14 is eligible for a pre-filled debit card worth $100.
“Everyone who registers and has their vaccines confirmed will receive a card. Eligible Albertans will be able to enrol online to get a debit card beginning on September 13.”
Currently 78.2 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 70 per cent of that population is fully vaccinated.
After the entire government was seemingly on vacation at the same time and missing in action for the last three weeks, it now appears that Alberta’s intensive care units are at a breaking point and non-essential surgeries are being cancelled — things like hip and knee replacement surgeries, hernia operations and the like.
Try telling those folks who have waited for months or even years for those surgeries — often in terrible pain — that their surgery is non-essential and they will vehemently disagree.
Premier Jason Kenney — holding his first media briefing since Aug. 9 — pointed out that on Aug. 24 there were 243 non-ICU COVID patients in hospital. On Sept. 1, just eight days later, there were 373 — an increase of 54 per cent.
“The intensive care situation is even more serious. On August 24, there were 59 COVID patients in intensive care and on September 1, there were 114 — that’s a 93 per cent jump.”
More than 80 per cent of the non-ICU patients are unvaccinated and of the 114 in intensive care, over 91 per cent are unvaccinated. The Delta variant is hitting people between the ages of 20 and 59.
“For the love of God, please get vaccinated now,” the premier urged. “These numbers say it better than anyone ever could.”
The definition of bribery is giving someone money or something else of value to persuade that person to do something you want.
In what can only be described as government-sanctioned bribery, Alberta’s UCP government is going to offer the vaccine hesitant a $100 cash card to get vaccinated.
Talk about reinforcing negative behaviour. It’s the epitome of bad parenting and bad ethics.
Alberta’s Health Minister Tyler Shandro said that starting immediately, every Albertan who receives a first or second dose of COVID-19 between Sept. 3 and Oct. 14 is eligible for a pre-filled debit card worth $100.
“Everyone who registers and has their vaccines confirmed will receive a card. Eligible Albertans will be able to enrol online to get a debit card beginning on September 13.”
Currently 78.2 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 70 per cent of that population is fully vaccinated.
After the entire government was seemingly on vacation at the same time and missing in action for the last three weeks, it now appears that Alberta’s intensive care units are at a breaking point and non-essential surgeries are being cancelled — things like hip and knee replacement surgeries, hernia operations and the like.
Try telling those folks who have waited for months or even years for those surgeries — often in terrible pain — that their surgery is non-essential and they will vehemently disagree.
Premier Jason Kenney — holding his first media briefing since Aug. 9 — pointed out that on Aug. 24 there were 243 non-ICU COVID patients in hospital. On Sept. 1, just eight days later, there were 373 — an increase of 54 per cent.
“The intensive care situation is even more serious. On August 24, there were 59 COVID patients in intensive care and on September 1, there were 114 — that’s a 93 per cent jump.”
More than 80 per cent of the non-ICU patients are unvaccinated and of the 114 in intensive care, over 91 per cent are unvaccinated. The Delta variant is hitting people between the ages of 20 and 59.
“For the love of God, please get vaccinated now,” the premier urged. “These numbers say it better than anyone ever could.”
Premier Jason Kenney announces the province’s new COVID restrictions at McDougall Centre in Calgary on Friday, September 3, 2021. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
As a result, masks are now required again provincewide for indoor public spaces, and bars and restaurants have to stop selling alcohol at 10 p.m. Also, unvaccinated Albertans must limit indoor gatherings to 10 people or less.
Shandro put it this way: “Since July 1, unvaccinated people between the ages of 20 to 59 have had a 50 to 60 times higher risk of hospitalization than those who are vaccinated. In terms of serious impact, this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Kenney said that Alberta has “left no stone unturned” when it comes to enticing Albertans to get the jab, with vaccine buses, a vaccine lottery and other measures, but despite that, Alberta is about five percentage points behind other provinces in terms of vaccination rates. Part of that is because Alberta has a younger population, however that only explains part of it.
As one journalist pointed out, this government has left possibly the biggest stone of all unturned — vaccine passports.
Apparently, the bribery scheme of doling out money to the unvaccinated has worked fairly well in some U.S. states. But announcing vaccine passports in Ontario and British Columbia has worked much better to encourage people to get the jab.
Ontario’s Health Minister, Christine Elliott, said Thursday that vaccine bookings “more than doubled” on Wednesday, the same day Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario residents will have to show proof they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to go to gyms and theatres or dine indoors — but not necessarily to enter retail locations.
“We’re already seeing thousands more Ontarians roll up their sleeves, nearly half of whom are receiving their first dose,” Elliott tweeted.
When the B.C. government announced on August 23 it was instituting a vaccine passport program, officials reported more than 19,000 people registered through that province’s booking portal during the day of the announcement and the day after, there were nearly triple the number of people who registered on the same day two weeks earlier.
The same thing happened in Quebec where bookings on the day the vaccine passport program was announced doubled compared to the same day a week earlier.
But, we’ve also seen how divisive vaccine passports are. Crowds of foul-mouthed protesters are harassing our hard working health care workers, swearing at Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau at campaign announcements and now — unconscionably — slowing down emergency vehicles heading into hospital emergency departments — a daily occurrence in Quebec, Ontario and especially B.
As a result, masks are now required again provincewide for indoor public spaces, and bars and restaurants have to stop selling alcohol at 10 p.m. Also, unvaccinated Albertans must limit indoor gatherings to 10 people or less.
Shandro put it this way: “Since July 1, unvaccinated people between the ages of 20 to 59 have had a 50 to 60 times higher risk of hospitalization than those who are vaccinated. In terms of serious impact, this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Kenney said that Alberta has “left no stone unturned” when it comes to enticing Albertans to get the jab, with vaccine buses, a vaccine lottery and other measures, but despite that, Alberta is about five percentage points behind other provinces in terms of vaccination rates. Part of that is because Alberta has a younger population, however that only explains part of it.
As one journalist pointed out, this government has left possibly the biggest stone of all unturned — vaccine passports.
Apparently, the bribery scheme of doling out money to the unvaccinated has worked fairly well in some U.S. states. But announcing vaccine passports in Ontario and British Columbia has worked much better to encourage people to get the jab.
Ontario’s Health Minister, Christine Elliott, said Thursday that vaccine bookings “more than doubled” on Wednesday, the same day Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario residents will have to show proof they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to go to gyms and theatres or dine indoors — but not necessarily to enter retail locations.
“We’re already seeing thousands more Ontarians roll up their sleeves, nearly half of whom are receiving their first dose,” Elliott tweeted.
When the B.C. government announced on August 23 it was instituting a vaccine passport program, officials reported more than 19,000 people registered through that province’s booking portal during the day of the announcement and the day after, there were nearly triple the number of people who registered on the same day two weeks earlier.
The same thing happened in Quebec where bookings on the day the vaccine passport program was announced doubled compared to the same day a week earlier.
But, we’ve also seen how divisive vaccine passports are. Crowds of foul-mouthed protesters are harassing our hard working health care workers, swearing at Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau at campaign announcements and now — unconscionably — slowing down emergency vehicles heading into hospital emergency departments — a daily occurrence in Quebec, Ontario and especially B.
Demonstrators gesture towards a campaign bus as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau arrives to a campaign stop in Nobleton, Ontario, on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. PHOTO BY COLE BURSTON/BLOOMBERG
Kenney noted he is attending the Labour Day classic at McMahon Stadium on Monday and the Calgary Stampeders organization — like other CFL teams — will soon be requiring proof of vaccination from fans.
Currently, Albertans can go to MyHealthRecords (myhealth.alberta.ca/myhealthrecords) and their vaccination record is there. But, Kenney has said he is opposed to vaccine passports because of the risk to privacy they offer. Well, MyHealthRecords is a far greater risk to someone’s privacy than a QR code for COVID vaccines. The government portal contains a person’s entire health records, not just info on whether they have been vaccinated for COVID. You can see the results of scans and much more by logging on.
Kenney says the government is doing policy work to make it possible for people — who want to do so — to get a QR code to demonstrate proof of vaccination, making it machine readable “so in the future we can avoid slow moving lineups at events” and “to help Albertans who want to travel.”
In other words, he’s working on establishing a vaccine passport — by another name. What a gong show.
For the fully vaccinated in Alberta, Friday’s COVID-19 update was no carrot or stick. It was a slap in the face.
Licia Corbella is a Postmedia columnist in Calgary.
Kenney noted he is attending the Labour Day classic at McMahon Stadium on Monday and the Calgary Stampeders organization — like other CFL teams — will soon be requiring proof of vaccination from fans.
Currently, Albertans can go to MyHealthRecords (myhealth.alberta.ca/myhealthrecords) and their vaccination record is there. But, Kenney has said he is opposed to vaccine passports because of the risk to privacy they offer. Well, MyHealthRecords is a far greater risk to someone’s privacy than a QR code for COVID vaccines. The government portal contains a person’s entire health records, not just info on whether they have been vaccinated for COVID. You can see the results of scans and much more by logging on.
Kenney says the government is doing policy work to make it possible for people — who want to do so — to get a QR code to demonstrate proof of vaccination, making it machine readable “so in the future we can avoid slow moving lineups at events” and “to help Albertans who want to travel.”
In other words, he’s working on establishing a vaccine passport — by another name. What a gong show.
For the fully vaccinated in Alberta, Friday’s COVID-19 update was no carrot or stick. It was a slap in the face.
Licia Corbella is a Postmedia columnist in Calgary.
