Organizers of planned rodeo near Bowden handed court injunction

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He says Court of Queen’s Bench Justice John Rooke ruled the rodeo would violate provincial health orders if more than 10 people attended.

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Cameron says the centre argued that the rodeo was to be a peaceful protest, but the justice considered it a sporting event because there would be horses in a corral.

Alberta Health Services gave a statement Friday afternoon, expressing its disappointment with the organizers.

“The injunction prevents the organizers from holding any future events which do not comply with all Chief Medical Officer of Health Order (CMOH) requirements, including masking, attendance limits, and physical distancing, as well as complying with any requirements that may exist for sporting competitions or spectator events,” an AHS statement reads, noting it applies to attendees of the event as well.

“AHS strongly condemns the intentional disobeying of COVID-19 public health restrictions. It is extremely disappointing that people would knowingly put their fellow Albertans at risk by ignoring the current rules.”

The health authority notes that this injunction follows a pre-emptive injunction granted on May 6, 2021 against anyone who is organizing, promoting and/or attending an illegal public gathering that does not comply with COVID-19 public health orders.

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The Northcotts also released a statement via Facebook on Friday, remarking that the rodeo was officially postponed.

”We want to be clear that we are not postponing this by our choice. This is what AHS and Justice Rooke have forced us into. Never would we have dreamed that in a free country, it would be illegal to do a rodeo rally,” Ty Northcott wrote.

“Premier Jason Kenney seems more than willing to allow the (Calgary) Stampede to go ahead in just a few weeks time. Maybe Premier Kenney doesn’t like the name of our event: the ‘No More Jason Kenney Pro Rodeo Rally.'”

(with file from The Canadian Press)

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