ALBERTA – People across Canada are furious after Danielle Smith, the new Premier of Alberta, said that unvaccinated people are “the most discriminated against” group she has ever witnessed, compared to groups discriminated against for their race, sexuality, or gender.
“The community that faced the most restrictions on their freedoms in the last year were those who made a choice not to be vaccinated,” Smith said.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a situation, in my lifetime, where a person was fired from their job, or not allowed to watch their kids play hockey, or not allowed to go visit a loved one in long term care or hospital,” she continued.
Smith, who was sworn into office earlier today, also pointed to restrictions on air travel and border crossing as other ways she feels unvaccinated people have been discriminated against.
“So they have been the most discriminated against group that I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. That’s a pretty extreme level of discrimination that we have seen,” Smith added, saying she doesn’t want to take away from other groups.
“We are not going to create a segregated society on the basis of a medical choice,” Smith continued.
Online, people have voiced their concern with the new premier’s opinions, with many pointing out the discrimination faced by many racialized groups, including Black and Indigenous peoples.
“Things that happened in her lifetime: both Iraq wars, residential schools, Rwandan genocide,” said one person.
“The Rwanda genocide occured between 7 April and 15 July 1994. Of course that wasn’t Alberta, so maybe we should stick to this province for examples? She could speak to Indigenous people of these lands who face racial discrimination every day at Alberta Health. To start,” added another.
“I bet some residential school survivors from her lifetime would like some words with her about discrimination,” posted a third.
How do you feel about the new Alberta premier’s opinion? Let us know in the comments!
