Organizer says Stampede boycott picking up steam

Jake Eskesen recently created the Facebook group “Boycott Stampede 2021” and says it’s growing by the day.

“It’s basically to expose the hypocrisy. Of the Stampede being able to go ahead, while small businesses are closed, while all these restrictions are in place and people are suffering,” he said.

“A big event sponsored by big players like Bank of Montreal and Coca-Cola, who are also very onboard with these woke agendas and corporate welfare agendas, are able to get events to go ahead because they have the influence. They have the ear of the Premier (Jason Kenney), and ultimately the premier just wants to throw us a bread crumb to try to make people happy – but I think it’s blowing up in his face.”

He said part of the distaste for the event on both sides of the debate is the levels of restrictions that will be placed on it.

“Ironically there’s a lot of people who don’t like it on both sides of the fence… With our group for example, we take issue with the masking outside, what we’re to assume is going to be very strict guidelines around social distancing, and encouraging people to get ‘the jab’,” he said.

“Of course, there are people on the other side worried about this being a super spreader event because we’re allowing all these tourists to come in just for Stampede.”

Eskesen went on to criticize the hypocrisy of the lockdown rules especially regarding large outdoor events, comparing the vastly difference treatments of the Stampede with a recent AHS conjunction brought against an outdoor rodeo in Bowden.

Eskesen did express support towards Kenney’s call to the federal government to lift quarantine hotels and mandatory isolation periods for international travellers to attend the Stampede, but again pointed out the hypocrisy and potential danger of people travelling with possible variant viruses.

“Ultimately, I hope the Stampede can come back next year and we can move past all of this. It’s just this year, with the way things are right now, it doesn’t feel right. It’s not going to be the same Stampede that Calgarians are used to. It doesn’t feel right when there are so many other people out there who are suffering right now. I just feel like the Stampede is not the most important thing this year. Next year? Totally! I’d love to see it come back, I’d love to see it come back with no restrictions.”

Financial and image trepidation is also brewing around the Stampede, with major companies like TC Energy still promising to donate financially, but pulling all other forms of support for the Stampede.

“TC Energy has a long-standing relationship with the Calgary Stampede and while we will continue our financial support for certain Stampede events, we will not be participating in those events this year, from both a brand and a hosting perspective,” said spokeswoman Suzanne Wilton.

“This is a difficult decision for us but we believe it is the prudent one. Safety is our primary value and nothing is more important than the health, wellness, and safety of our people and the communities where we live and work.

“While we are as eager as everyone to return to normal, we must remain vigilant in our own protocols. Participating in Stampede events could create unnecessary health and safety risks for our people and business partners. We have communicated directly with our employees about our expectations with respect to acceptance of invitations to attend hosted business events. We have not provided direction on what employees do on their personal time.

Stampede spokeswoman Danielle Savoni said: “We are working directly with Alberta Health to bring safe Stampede experiences to our community in July and we look forward to celebrating with our many longstanding partners.”

The Stampede is scheduled to happen July 9 – 18.

Jackie Conroy is a Correspondent at the Western Standard

jconroy@westernstandardonline.com