Just days into the Freedom Convoy's protest in Canada, Quebec Premier François Legault announced he was scrapping a plan to impose a tax on the unvaccinated, saying it would be too divisive. At the same time, the premier of Saskatchewan said vaccine passports in his province would soon end. While some Canadian officials denied the developments had anything to do with the protest, others didn't see it that way.
Now, with protests lasting more than two weeks, other provinces are starting to change their tune on vaccine mandates.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Tuesday that vaccine passports in the province would end immediately, and most other Covid-19 restrictions would be phased out within three weeks.
Today at 5 pm I will announce Alberta’s path back to normal - a careful and prudent plan to lift damaging restrictions if pressure on our hospitals continues to decline.
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) February 8, 2022
Please tune in.
"Our approach to COVID must change as the disease changes," Kenney said. "The restriction exemption program has served its useful purpose. It has done its job."
He also rescinded a mask mandate on children under 12 in schools, pointing to the "very low threat that Covid-19 poses to the health of children."
Kenney said, "It is no longer justifiable after two long years to continue to disrupt and restrict the normal lives of kids."
The premier pointed to vaccination rates and a drop in cases and hospitalizations as the reason for the change, but it also comes as truckers forced a major border crossing into the U.S. to close.
He also said he believes it will be likely people need to take an annual Covid-19 jab "for the rest of our lives," much like the flu shot.
The truckers were reportedly not happy with the announcement.
Coutts border blockaders were not happy with the announcement by Jason Kenney today, updates sure to come soon.
— Syd Fizzard (@SydFizzard) February 9, 2022
Help their legal defence at https://t.co/FgSvcLfPNy pic.twitter.com/JD2Xo9bIig
Jason Kenney ends the province wide vaccine passport as of midnight tonight.
— K2 (@kiansimone44) February 9, 2022
He is however keeping masks till March 1st.
If you're wondering how the Coutts truckers recieved this - they want ALL mandates gone. Even the arrows in grocery stores.
Jason Kenney makes it crystal clear: he reserves the right to bring back more lockdown and vaccine passport measures. He just said it. https://t.co/JBfOwN5iqW
— Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) February 9, 2022
I deleted two tweets because they weren't clear enough:
— Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) February 9, 2022
Kenney is only ending the provincially-mandated vaccine passport. He's still going to have the QR codes. And he will still allow other entities, including private businesses, to discriminate based on those QR codes
Kenney says he really, really, really didn't scrap the vaccine passport because of "a few trucks".
— Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) February 9, 2022
I swear to God he just said those words -- "a few trucks".
Jason Kenney just called this “a few trucks”. pic.twitter.com/zHjmlEqjbj
— Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) February 9, 2022
Kenney just says he won't bring back the vaccine passport "Unless we redefine full vaccination as having three shots".
— Ezra Levant ?? (@ezralevant) February 9, 2022
Kenney said that "would make practical sense... make a requirement that people get a third shot."
