When I was a kid, I had a cousin who used to invent new card games. I would play by his rules and the game would go smoothly, unless I began winning. Whenever I would try to play a card which would win the game, he would suddenly invent a new rule and explain why that card could not be played. The only answer was to stop playing his games..The Alberta government is playing the same same game with its citizens and businesses, and it is time that we stopped playing by their rules..As infections plummeted this year, desperate businesses began opening in open defiance of government regulations forbidding it. It was clear that the second coming of the plague was not materializing, but the very real possibility of bankruptcy was looming and businesses could no longer afford to wait for the government to let them open. It began with the Whistle Stop Diner in Mirror, Alberta and the rebellion began to spread like wildfire as food service establishments across the province joined the Restaurant Revolution..This rebellion put Premier Jason Kenney in a tough spot. The optics of having police enter and arrest dozens of desperate small business owners in Alberta would be terrible, but if he let the revolt continue, it would be clear that his government had lost its authority to impose continued COVID-19 restrictions..In a rushed Friday afternoon press conference, a clearly upset premier announced a plan for reopening businesses in Alberta. It was clear that nothing would stop businesses from flaunting laws if the owners couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. People needed to see a plan and Premier Jason Kenney provided it..Step one of the plan came into effect on February 8th and allowed for very limited restaurant dine-in options along with allowing some outdoor children’s sports activities and some one-on-one fitness training in gyms. More important than these small reductions in restrictions was the clear establishment of benchmarks for further reopening. Businesses could see where things had to be before reopening and they could see which businesses would finally be able to reopen..This plan bought peace from rebellious business owners as they saw a route to reopening. If hospitalizations stayed below 450 cases after three weeks of step one of the plan, they would be to step two. Retail restrictions would ease, conference centers, hotels and banquet halls would see the ability to host limited gatherings and gyms would see restrictions reduced. People trusted the government and settled down to wait and see if hospitalizations would remain low..On the morning of March 1, business owners were jubilant. We hadn’t just met the benchmark for reopening, we had crushed it. Hospitalizations were at 250 and dropping. We had reached the benchmark for step three opening. Surely, the government would keep its promises to move to step two..It didn’t. Instead, the UCP government changed the rules of the game at the 11th hour and moved the goalposts yet again..As can be seen in the image below, the government changed its plans at the last minute. Eager businesses were left to languish in an indeterminate state of limbo yet again.. march1 .At a press conference attended by Premier Kenney himself, he proudly announced that gyms could allow low-intensity activities such as pilates, while libraries would be able to open to with 15% of their capacity. This watered-down step two helps nearly nobody, and makes little sense. Why did they shut out all the step two businesses, while adding library openings (which were supposed to be part of step three)?.What is wrong with these people? What are they thinking? Did they just change their minds at the last minute, or was this phased reopening a lie only designed to keep rogue businesses from defying their rule?.Support for the UCP is already low. This betrayal of small business owners is only going to bring it lower still..Infections are low, hospitalizations are low, and the ICU levels are outright tiny. There was no need to back off on the reopening plan. Is it only that the government has fallen in love with its new powers so much that they just can’t let it go? Nothing much else makes sense..What hope is there now for business owners? Clearly none of the benchmarks and paths to reopening set out by the government mean anything. Any of the plans can – and clearly will – be changed arbitrarily. How can this government be trusted? They are either completely dishonest with their reopening benchmarks, or are completely incompetent. Neither scenario lends confidence to struggling small business owners..It is time for the rebellion to begin again. It appears that this is the only way to get the government to relinquish the control over people’s lives that they so relish. Economic and health statistics clearly don’t matter..This government is making its decisions in a bubble, and only through pending mass civil disobedience are they willing to back off. Businesses need to push back and it’s time for UCP caucus members to stand up..There is nothing left to lose now, and threatening fines for businesses going bankrupt means little..Cory Morgan is the podcast editor and a columnist for the Western Standard.,
When I was a kid, I had a cousin who used to invent new card games. I would play by his rules and the game would go smoothly, unless I began winning. Whenever I would try to play a card which would win the game, he would suddenly invent a new rule and explain why that card could not be played. The only answer was to stop playing his games..The Alberta government is playing the same same game with its citizens and businesses, and it is time that we stopped playing by their rules..As infections plummeted this year, desperate businesses began opening in open defiance of government regulations forbidding it. It was clear that the second coming of the plague was not materializing, but the very real possibility of bankruptcy was looming and businesses could no longer afford to wait for the government to let them open. It began with the Whistle Stop Diner in Mirror, Alberta and the rebellion began to spread like wildfire as food service establishments across the province joined the Restaurant Revolution..This rebellion put Premier Jason Kenney in a tough spot. The optics of having police enter and arrest dozens of desperate small business owners in Alberta would be terrible, but if he let the revolt continue, it would be clear that his government had lost its authority to impose continued COVID-19 restrictions..In a rushed Friday afternoon press conference, a clearly upset premier announced a plan for reopening businesses in Alberta. It was clear that nothing would stop businesses from flaunting laws if the owners couldn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. People needed to see a plan and Premier Jason Kenney provided it..Step one of the plan came into effect on February 8th and allowed for very limited restaurant dine-in options along with allowing some outdoor children’s sports activities and some one-on-one fitness training in gyms. More important than these small reductions in restrictions was the clear establishment of benchmarks for further reopening. Businesses could see where things had to be before reopening and they could see which businesses would finally be able to reopen..This plan bought peace from rebellious business owners as they saw a route to reopening. If hospitalizations stayed below 450 cases after three weeks of step one of the plan, they would be to step two. Retail restrictions would ease, conference centers, hotels and banquet halls would see the ability to host limited gatherings and gyms would see restrictions reduced. People trusted the government and settled down to wait and see if hospitalizations would remain low..On the morning of March 1, business owners were jubilant. We hadn’t just met the benchmark for reopening, we had crushed it. Hospitalizations were at 250 and dropping. We had reached the benchmark for step three opening. Surely, the government would keep its promises to move to step two..It didn’t. Instead, the UCP government changed the rules of the game at the 11th hour and moved the goalposts yet again..As can be seen in the image below, the government changed its plans at the last minute. Eager businesses were left to languish in an indeterminate state of limbo yet again.. march1 .At a press conference attended by Premier Kenney himself, he proudly announced that gyms could allow low-intensity activities such as pilates, while libraries would be able to open to with 15% of their capacity. This watered-down step two helps nearly nobody, and makes little sense. Why did they shut out all the step two businesses, while adding library openings (which were supposed to be part of step three)?.What is wrong with these people? What are they thinking? Did they just change their minds at the last minute, or was this phased reopening a lie only designed to keep rogue businesses from defying their rule?.Support for the UCP is already low. This betrayal of small business owners is only going to bring it lower still..Infections are low, hospitalizations are low, and the ICU levels are outright tiny. There was no need to back off on the reopening plan. Is it only that the government has fallen in love with its new powers so much that they just can’t let it go? Nothing much else makes sense..What hope is there now for business owners? Clearly none of the benchmarks and paths to reopening set out by the government mean anything. Any of the plans can – and clearly will – be changed arbitrarily. How can this government be trusted? They are either completely dishonest with their reopening benchmarks, or are completely incompetent. Neither scenario lends confidence to struggling small business owners..It is time for the rebellion to begin again. It appears that this is the only way to get the government to relinquish the control over people’s lives that they so relish. Economic and health statistics clearly don’t matter..This government is making its decisions in a bubble, and only through pending mass civil disobedience are they willing to back off. Businesses need to push back and it’s time for UCP caucus members to stand up..There is nothing left to lose now, and threatening fines for businesses going bankrupt means little..Cory Morgan is the podcast editor and a columnist for the Western Standard.,
