Roughly two weeks ago, I wagered with a senior Conservative politician a bottle of good Riesling that Kenney’s political recovery would not be swift following the lifting of lockdowns and other COVID-19 restrictions. Said Conservative bet me once things were set to return to normal, Kenney would see most of his erstwhile base return, and his popularity would respectably recover ..At 2:10 pm on June 2, my friend texted me a picture of Jason Kenney and several of his key ministers enjoying a very un-socially distanced round of drinks on the rooftop of one-time Premier Alison Redford’s Sky Palace..At 3:26 p.m., my friend sent me another text: “That Riesling is going to be expensive. I made the bet assuming he’d be smart.”.My prediction that Kenney’s popularity wouldn’t quickly recover wasn’t based on events getting in the way. It was based on a belief those who fled the UCP banner over Kenney’s on-again-off-again lockdowns, are deeply upset. And like a lover scorned, are harder to win back than to win over the first time.. FILDEBRANDT: Sky Palace patio party aborts Kenney’s political recovery before it beginsAlberta support and opposition to lockdowns by party voters, May 2021 Shareable with credit and hyperlink. .In a recent Mainstreet Research poll ,conducted for the Western Standard, 57% of those who voted UCP in 2019 say that they disapprove of Kenney’s handling of COVID-19, mostly because of what they see as his draconian and overly harsh reaction..Whatever my gloomy predictions, Kenney did have a path back. His reopening plan was bold, at least relative to other Canadian premiers who seem determined to cling to lockdown-theory as long as possible. While a good many Albertans may continue to resent how long it took him to get there, his jailing of Christian pastors, closure of churches, and raiding of businesses, the reopening for summer would still be a hugely welcome relief. If Kenney could follow through on the pledge – and not backtrack again – he stood a chance at political recovery..But, I’m now owed an expensive bottle of Riesling.. FILDEBRANDT: Sky Palace patio party aborts Kenney’s political recovery before it begins .When a picture began circulating on social media of Kenney, ministers Jason Nixon, Tyler Shandro and Travis Toews, and four others sitting around a nice table enjoying whiskey and wine on the rooftop patio of the Sky Palace, social media caught fire. When social media gets angry, that doesn’t necessarily mean that social media is correct. The Twitter mob can work itself into a headful of steam over very little..The Western Standard’s original story on the controversy played the matter down until we had the facts. But get the facts we did. The next day, News Editor Dave Naylor published a thorough fact check..In his defence, Kenney claims they didn’t break the rules, but it was under the category of an “outdoor social gathering,” and not “patio dining.” The Sky Palace’s rooftop patio is not the premier’s private residence – despite the best efforts of Allison Redford – and it’s licensed to serve alcohol and food. It might not be a commercial rooftop patio bar, but its a distinction without a difference..But even Kenney’s defence that it was technically an outdoor social gathering lands him in clear hot water with his own temporary restrictions, now entering their 15th temporary month. By our count, even if it was the kind of gathering Kenney claims, he, his ministers, and the others in the photo are guilty on eight counts of violating their government’s own guidelines, and 16 counts of violating their own legally-binding regulations..These kinds of gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people, however the guidelines strongly encourage those people be limited to a maximum of two households. As far as we know, all eight people pictured live in separate households. That’s eight violations of their own guidelines..These outdoor social gatherings also require “mandatory physical distancing must be maintained at all times between members of different households.”.It doesn’t take an engineer to see from the picture every single last person in the photo is well within the two meter distance requirement. In most cases, very well within two meters. That’s eight violations of their own government’s orders..Their regulations also require they “must not have an indoor component (movement in/out of homes is not permitted.”) The Sky Palace’s rooftop patio is about 12 storeys up. Unless Kenney and the cabinet parachuted onto the roof, they all came through the elevator and the door. The picture even shows two unidentified men with the group walking towards the forbidden door. That’s another eight violations of their own regulations..For those keeping score, that’s eight violations of the guidelines, and 16 violations of the regulations..Kenney’s response was the same as it was when a large portion of his caucus was caught traveling to warm, oversees destinations with no restrictions after locking down Alberta over Christmas..“Nobody broke the law. Nobody should be upset. This is only the NDP playing politics.”.Well, words to that effect. Instead, he sent Nixon and Shandro out to say it for him..It’s naked gaslighting. They did break the law. Their own law, that they continue to enforce on rodeo hosts, Christian pastors, churches, and small businesses..Even if it was an outdoor social gathering – and not patio dining as the premier claims – they are still in violation of the eight guidelines and 16 regulations noted above. But these men make the rules. They don’t necessarily have to follow them..Kenney is also playing a dangerous game if he believes only NDP partisans are unhappy with the matter. Indeed, New Democrats see an opportunity to score some goals – or at least let the Tories score on their own net – and they do seem to insist lockdowns remain in place for the foreseeable future..But many a conservative is less than impressed by the impervious display atop the legendary Sky Palace, a coin termed and immortalized by Canadian Press reporter, Dean Bennett..Longtime UCP member and Alberta Institute President, Peter McCaffery tweeted a picture of the gathering with the caption, “The Last Supper.”.If it was a 21st Century Alberta recreation of the Last Supper, one has to wonder if there was a Judas sitting around the table, as internal challenges to the premier’s leadership continue to roil..McCaffery was also the miscreant who blew the whistle on Environment Minister Jason Nixon’s plan to spy on Alberta campers over the summer with drones. It was deliciously ironic that in all likelihood, it was a spy drone that captured the picture seen round Wildrose Country.. Drone-Kenney meme .This is potentially much more damning than the Snowbird travel scandal of the New Year. In that case, it was only one cabinet minister and a series of backbenchers putting up their nose at their government’s own restrictions and lockdowns. Kenney dismissed it at first, but later had to discipline them..In this case, he is at the centre of the action, and he can’t possibly discipline himself and most of his senior cabinet ministers. There’s just nobody else to let take the fall..And unlike the Great Snowbird Scandal of 2021, the issue isn’t a series of words pecked out by reporters, but a photograph displaying it for the world to see. Every Albertan can look at it and make his or her own decision. There’s just no spinning his way out of it for the premier..Kenney’s best course of action is to accept responsibility, apologize, and immediately repeal all regulations that he himself isn’t prepared to abide by..You hold your breath while I sip my Riesling..Derek Fildebrandt is the Publisher of the Western Standard
