It’s time for the Alberta Government to eliminate the vaccine passports and “begin healing this province,” said Airdrie-Cochrane UCP MLA Peter Guthrie in a video post on Facebook..“The time is well upon us to make a transition beyond restrictions — to move away from divisive policies and begin healing this province,” said Guthrie..Guthrie said with the new Omicron variant, in his opinion, “we may be through the worst of it,” and pointed to stats showing both the vaccinated and unvaccinated are catching and spreading COVID-19..Guthrie said he believes the government should focus on providing normality for children, especially in school settings, and eliminating the vaccine passports and the Restriction Exemption Program..“The province’s own data shows vaccinated Albertans continue to disproportionately account for new cases and hospitalization,” said Guthrie..“It is unnecessary to continue enforcing policies that infringe on the rights and freedoms of Albertans with no demonstrable positive outcome..“Vaccine passports have serious side effects,” added Guthrie..Guthrie cited the divisiveness and animosity created by the passports adding they are “counter to medical privacy.” Guthrie also said passports are expensive for businesses to implement and can lead to conflict between owners, staff and patrons in enforcing the passport system..“Alberta needs to take the lead,” wrote Guthrie in his post..“Vaccine passports are the epitome of leftist identity politics. Removing them will come with outrage from the opposition and gaslighting from the media but it is the right thing to do..“Let’s show the other provinces and this repressive Federal government what leadership looks like,” said Guthrie suggesting Alberta can become a “beacon of hope for Canada.”.Despite revealing he has been vaccinated against COVID-19, Guthrie has been outspoken against the passports since they were introduced in Alberta and blasted his government in November..In his November statement to members, Guthrie said he opposed “directing mandatory use of an active medical procedure, including vaccinations, on the citizens of this province,” and supports the right for people “to choose in matters pertaining to their bodies and personal health.”.Guthrie said he “unequivocally” disagreed with the implementation of vaccination policies with termination as a result of non-compliance..Last week, Guthrie also took to Facebook to slam Alberta Health Services (AHS), calling it “bloated” and “underperforming.”.Guthrie said Alberta’s healthcare system is “failing” and largely criticized AHS for its pandemic response saying even after the overwhelming majority of Albertans had been vaccinated, the province still struggled with a “lack of available hospital beds” along with the “many cancelled surgeries as a result.”.Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
