Wednesday, December 22, 2021

UCP defends Christmas party just hours after 'strongly encouraging' cancellations


Sean Amato
CTV News Edmonton
Updated Dec. 22, 2021

The United Conservative Party carried on with a Christmas reception at an Edmonton restaurant Tuesday night, just hours after officials asked Albertans to cancel parties and limit contacts to help fight COVID-19.

"We strongly encourage workplaces to cancel any social gatherings, even if they're in a venue that's participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program," Health Minister Jason Copping said at a provincial announcement that started at 3:30 p.m.

At 6:30 p.m., the doors opened to the UCP's capital region Members Christmas Reception at Parlour Italian Kitchen and Bar just a few blocks from the Alberta legislature.

It wasn't clear how many UCP MLAs were at the party, but the invite said some would be in attendance.

"Albertans are frustrated. The hypocrisy we continue to see from this government undermines our public health response and exhausts Albertans,” NDP MLA Christina Gray said.

On Wednesday, a UCP spokesperson confirmed the gathering, but said it was compliant with provincial COVID-19 rules.
200 PEOPLE IS NOT COMPLIANT

"The Premier's advice to Albertans was given only a short time before our event was to begin, and given our compliance with the REP and adequate spacing in the venue with reduced capacity, we decided to proceed," UCP spokesperson Dave Prisco wrote in a statement.

Prisco ignored a question about how many people were in attendance, but said a similar event Thursday night in Calgary was cancelled " in accordance with the premier's advice."

A spokesperson said Premier Jason Kenney and Copping were not at the party.
THEY LIED

Bars and restaurants were allowed to be open on Wednesday, with masking, vaccine and distancing rules in place.

Kenney announced revised public health restrictions Wednesday in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, and he also asked Albertans to voluntarily reduce interactions.

"We are appealing to Albertans to reduce their number of daily in person contacts by half over the coming weeks," Kenney said.

"We also need Albertans to make personal choices in their daily lives that will slow transmission."

'JASON KENNEY LACKS ALL LEADERSHIP'

Kenney and the UCP apologized in January after several MLAs travelled internationally despite a federal travel warning.

He also apologized in June for not following COVID-19 rules during a rooftop dinner.

UCP MLAs were specifically told not to travel internationally this Christmas and NDP Leader Rachel Notley said her team had cancelled their travel plans.

"When we saw case counts rising, and other provinces impose restrictions, we cancelled this month's holiday staff party to reduce in-person contacts. It was the responsible thing to do," Notley tweeted on Wednesday.

"To have the health minister yesterday tell all Albertans, and all Alberta workplaces, 'we think you should be cancelling your holiday parties,' and the UCP to still hold those shows that Jason Kenney lacks all leadership," Gray said.

Invites for the party were sent to members on Nov. 27, and early-bird tickets were sold for $55. The invite said "very special guests from our MLA team and our conservative movement," would be in attendance.



An invite that the UCP sent members for a Christmas reception that was held on Dec 21, 2021.


Parlour Italian Kitchen and Bar in downtown Edmonton on Dec 22, 2021. (Sean Amato/CTV News Edmonton)


UCP holds Christmas party after asking Albertans to scale back close contacts

Tom Vernon 
GLOBAL NEWS

Hours after Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Jason Copping urged Albertans to cut down their close contacts by 50 per cent and cancel Christmas parties to slow the spread of the Omicron variant, members of the United Conservative Party gathered at a restaurant in Edmonton for a Christmas reception.
© Provided by Global News Edmonton area members of the United Conservative Party gather for a Christmas party in an Edmonton restaurant on December 21, 2021

"The Premier's advice to Albertans was given only a short time before our event was to begin," UCP director of communications Dave Prisco wrote in a statement.

"Given our compliance with the REP and adequate spacing in the venue with reduced capacity, we decided to proceed."

Photos obtained by Global News show among those in attendance was Justice Minister Kaycee Madu.

READ MORE: Omicron variant dominant in Alberta, premier urges Albertans to halve personal contacts

"The hypocrisy of this government continuing to ask Albertans to do what they say but not what they do is incredibly frustrating," NDP Labour Critic Christina Gray said in response to the gathering.

Gray points to last Christmas when several UCP MLAs and staffers travelled abroad as Albertans were being told to lockdown during the second wave of the pandemic, a scandal that became known as Aloha-gate, and then the June dinner on the Skypalace patio where Premier Kenney and senior members of his cabinet, including then Health Minister Tyler Shandro, broke social distancing rules.

READ MORE: 'If you're yelling at us… thank you': Alberta MLA on colleagues' travel during COVID-19

"It is frustrating, it is exhausting and Albertans are sick of it," she said.

Mount Royal University Political Scientist Duane Bratt agrees.

"There's a pattern here," Bratt told Global News, adding that in order for people to take restrictions and recommendations seriously, the governing party needs to walk the walk.

"Even if it's not legislated, even when you encourage people, you have to follow that."

READ MORE: 'I regret that': Kenney apologizes for Sky Palace dinner that broke COVID-19 rules

The UCP had a similar Christmas party planned for Calgary members on Wednesday night, that event has been cancelled.

UCP under fire after large party held hours after government pleads with Albertans to reduce contacts

By JOSH RITCHIE
Posted Dec 22, 2021

Members of Alberta's UCP can be seen inside a restaurant in Edmonton on Tuesday,
just hours after the party's leader, Jason Kenney, asked Albertans to avoid large gatherings.


SUMMARY


Around 200 members of the UCP were seen at the private gathering


According to sources, while the gathering was large, no COVID-19 protocols were broken


Another UCP Christmas party that was planned for Wednesday in Calgary has now been cancelled



Hours after asking Albertans to hold off on attending large gatherings, members of Alberta’s UCP government were seen attending a Christmas party in Edmonton on Tuesday.

According to sources CityNews spoke with, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Jason Copping were not present at the party, though some other familiar faces were seen.

Around 200 people were allegedly in attendance at the gathering, with Justice Minister Kaycee Madu and Minister Dale Nally both seen.

The event was held at The Parlour Italian Kitchen & Bar with restaurant staff confirming the entire venue had been bought out.

While the event was held by a large group, no COVID-19 protocols or restrictions were broken during the event.

On Tuesday, both Kenney and Copping pleaded with Albertans to consider making changes in their day-to-day lives over the holidays to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and the new Omicron variant.

“These (new capacity limits) are largely focused at avoiding super spreader events by reducing contacts in large settings, like major events, large capacity venues and certain discretionary activities where there is a high risk of transmission,” said Kenney.

“While these changes look at reducing contacts in large settings, it’s important to remember that small everyday actions can have an important impact as well. And that is why we are appealing to Albertans to reduce their number of daily, in-person contacts by half over the coming weeks.”


The new capacity limits are set to come into effect on Friday at 12:01 a.m.

Another large event was planned for Wednesday night in Calgary, but not long after this story broke, the UCP cancelled the event.


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