Thread by @BarbLarochelle

Albertans pride themselves on being tough and self-sufficient. (Or we used to before someone rolled up in a big blue truck to tell us we’re all victims). Seeing all these people defy health restrictions because it’s just too hard not being able to eat out, or play hockey or 1/12

see your friends at church, or not have your hair done etc., and then watching the provincial government cave on enforcing their half-hearted health measures every time is weak, not strong. We are not in a lockdown. We never have been. 2/12

We may not be able to do whatever we feel like doing, but at no time would you be prevented from leaving your house just because you felt like it. You could always shop in some non-grocery stores, get takeout food, do recreational activities outside, see at least some people 3/12

outside your household. Except for a week in January, your elementary school-aged child has been at school for 5 months or half of this school year already. Although it was not advised, you still could travel, go to the mountains, go skiing, etc. It’s been inconvenient and 4/12

annoying at times not to be able to do whatever you felt like doing, but it’s NOT a lock down. Not by a long stretch when you see what other countries with actual lock downs were doing. Instead, we’ve had kind of half-hearted measures for almost a year, based on—who knows? 5/12

When asked for sector-specific data, the province says they’re ‘working on it’. We don’t know why some things stay open and others close, even when it defies common sense. Like the new benchmarks that will open banquet halls before you can take your kid to the zoo. 6/12

And, even with the minimal restrictions Kenney has bragged about, it’s too much for some supposedly ‘tough’ Albertans to handle. So they selfishly open businesses and gather by the hundreds at church in defiance of our minimal restrictions, 7/12

confident that they will have no consequences. Open hair salons in defiance? Province opens hair salons. Open restaurants in defiance? Province will reopen restaurants. Just like an overly permissive parent, the government isn’t willing to do the hard work of keeping us safe 8/12

even when we don’t like it. They take the path of least resistance, and we ALL suffer because none of this is enough. It never has been enough. It’s always been too little, too late. I hate that businesses are suffering. But if you really want to help them, pressure UCP 9/12

to support them to be closed, rather than help them defy the health restrictions. Every person pictured in those diners & that church over the weekend put others at risk. Every person who couldn’t be bothered to wear a scrap of cloth on your face for a few minutes did too. 10/12

Covid cases will result from those defiant gatherings. Some will be hospitalized and some will die. Maybe not the people who were actually there, but their parents, grandparents, co-workers, friends, kids’ schoolmates, or even strangers. 11/12

And these people also need to realize it is THEIR FAULT this is dragging on and on and on in Alberta. Because they are so selfish, entitled, and unable to cope with something unpleasant or difficult, they have made it worse for everyone. 12/12