Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan is one of 15 UCP caucus members openly disagreeing with their government's decision regarding public health restrictions. (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Troy Gillard

Red Deer-South, Lacombe-Ponoka MLAs part

15 UCP MLAs voice opposition to new COVID restrictions

Apr 7, 2021 | 3:24 PM

A quarter of the United Conservative caucus are speaking out against their own party’s public health measures.

On Tuesday, Premier Jason Kenney announced new COVID-19 restrictions as variant cases have surged across the province recently.

Wednesday, 15 UCP MLAs penned a public letter sharing their disapproval over their government’s decision.

Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan and Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Ron Orr are among the letter’s signees.

The MLAs state that they believed the government’s previous step-by-step plan for implementing/easing restrictions based on COVID hospitalization numbers represented a “clear path forward.”

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They say that plan took the public health threat of COVID-19 seriously while helping to restore confidence in small businesses and communities.

The new strategy, however, bases this on what percentage of the overall Alberta population has been vaccinated against the virus.

“We believe that yesterday’s announcement to move our province backwards, effectively abandoning the plan that Albertans had worked diligently over the past months to follow, is the wrong direction,” the letter states.

(Image posted by MLA Drew Barnes on Twitter)

According to the elected officials, their constituents want them to defend their livelihoods and freedoms, and, despite their efforts to communicate this to the province, the approach of the government has remained the same.

“As MLAs, we are calling on our government colleagues to recognize the plea of our constituents. After 13 painstaking months of COVID-19 public health restrictions, we do not support the additional restrictions imposed on Albertans yesterday, and we will continue advocating for a transparent path forward that provides certainty to Alberta families, communities, and businesses.”

“When we are seeing 1,000 or more new cases a day and rapid growth of deadly variant cases, it is incredibly irresponsible and dangerous for elected officials to campaign against the public health measures that can keep Albertans safe,” said David Shepherd said in a statement Wednesday. “Jason Kenney’s silence as his MLAs undermine healthcare workers doing their jobs to keep Albertans safe is another example of his weak and ineffective leadership.

“Once again, UCP MLAs are flaunting the rules while Alberta families and businesses make excruciating sacrifices to keep their communities safe. Jason Kenney promised Albertans a culture of discipline in his caucus after Alohagate. Clearly he has failed,” Shepherd said.

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(Story written with file from David Opinko – Lethbridge News Now)