Premier Danielle Smith claimed that unvaccinated people are “the most discriminated against group that I've ever witnessed in my lifetime.”.On Tuesday, at an inaugural press conference, Smith told the media most restrictions that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic on freedoms were on those who made a choice not to be vaccinated.."I don't think I've ever experienced a situation in my lifetime, where a person was fired from their job, or not allowed to watch their kids play hockey, or not allowed to go visit a loved one in long-term care or hospital," Smith said.."We're not allowed to go get on a plane to go across the country to see family or even travel across the border.".Smith said one example, during the pandemic, was the vaccine passport. The passport was implemented by the federal government which limited the movement of unvaccinated people.."That's a pretty extreme level of discrimination that we have seen," Smith said.."This has been an extraordinary time in the last year in particular, and I want people to know that I find that unacceptable, we are not going to create a segregated society on the basis of a medical choice.".Alberta's NDP fired back at the premier's comments claiming she is not ready to lead the province and that she needs to apologize..“The comments made by Danielle Smith further divide our province and minimize the hate and violence towards racialized Albertans and the 2SLGTBQIA+ community," NDP Justice Critic Irfan Sabir said..“Danielle Smith needs to apologize for these comments. She has already demonstrated on her first official day in office that she is not ready to lead for all Albertans.”
