Alberta health minister swarmed by protestors on Canada Day
Protesters surrounded Alberta's health minister and his family yesterday.
As Shandro was accosted, some protesters screamed profanities and insults. "Lock Shandro up," yelled one man. "You've destroyed thousands and thousands of Alberta lives," said another.
According to CTV News, people targeted Shandro's children as well. "Sorry, buddy. But your father is a war criminal," one protestor told one of his sons.
Shandro spoke briefly to reporters after the incident.
"I think it's an unfortunate way for people to be expressing their opinions today. This is a day for happiness and celebration, a day for family so it's an unfortunate way for them to be expressing that," he said.
"I think obviously throughout the pandemic there's been a lot of high emotions from folks on both sides of the political spectrum."
Shandro spent a few moments after the event hugging his family.
"There's some anxiety on that, for them to hear people believing some of the misinformation about vaccines is unfortunate and to hear the way that it was expressed today was unfortunate."
Premier Jason Kenney also took part in a short Canada Day parade, where he gave a speech.
"On Canada Day we should be grateful and I want to say we should be grateful to Albertans. Thanks to their diligence. Thanks to 73 percent who have been vaccinated today. Alberta is open. Open for summer," Kenney said.
One man and woman shouted profanities at him during his speech, putting their middle fingers in the air.
One man approached the duo and told them their behaviour and language in front of children was unacceptable before being given the finger himself.
"You have the right to protest but with respect and dignity and we don't have that," he said. "The language they were using was inappropriate."
With Alberta's reopening, there will be no more caps on indoor and outdoor social gatherings, in restaurants, stores and places of worship. The entire province, with the exception of Calgary, is also lifting its mask mandate.
