Calgary City Councillor Druh Farrell suggested to a council emergency committee meeting on Monday night that if people hold a partyagainst lockdown orders and a guest contracts COVID-19 and dies, the host should be charged with manslaughter..Farrell posed the idea as a question to Calgary Police Services Chief Mark Neufeld..“The assumption coming out of Osgoode Hall [a law school] is people who are holding parties where, somebody dies of COVID, leading to a COVID death, could be charged with manslaughter. Is that something that we should be talking about?” said Farrell.“That’s probably the $50,000 dollar question isn’t it?” responded Neufeld, who went on to say that manslaughter charges for breaking provincial health orders or lockdowns were not in keeping with the constitution and criminal code..The maximum penalty for manslaughter is imprisonment for life..At the same meeting, Councillor Evan Woolley said he will bring a motion for the full council to debate next week to increase the penalty for not wearing a COVID-19 mask to $500. The current fine is $100..Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Sue Henry also told councillors 75% of citizens would need to be vaccinated, for life in the city to return to normal, said sources..Mayor Naheed Nenshi told the meeting a “significant announcement on enforcement” would be coming Tuesday, likely referring to Premier Jason Kenney’s statement earlier in the day he would bring in further COVID restrictions..The push by Farrell for manslaughter charges against Calgarians not complying with provincial and municipal lockdown orders comes as Alberta’s UCP government clamps down further..“These are people that simply don’t care about COVID,” said Kenney, adding a weekend rodeo crowd believed COVID-19 was a “conspiracy or hoax..“Too many Albertans are ignoring the rules in place..“(They have) forced me to take further steps. Stronger health measures will be announced tomorrow.”.He did not elaborate on what the further restrictions may contain. Kenney said the COVID-19 cabinet would be meeting Tuesday morning and he would announce the measure in the afternoon..UCP Health Minister Tyler Shandro also slammed the rodeo in Bowden as “disturbing”..“Like so many Albertans, I am deeply frustrated with the rodeo held this weekend near Bowden, in violation of #COVID19AB health restrictions in place,” Shandro tweeted..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
