'Test, trace and isolate': Sixth day of protests at Alberta legislature ahead of changing public health measures
For the sixth straight day people gathered outside of the legislature to protest the upcoming changes to Alberta's COVID-19 public health measures.
Starting Aug. 16 the provincial government plans to remove mandatory quarantine for people who test positive for the disease, it will only be recommended.
Albertans with COVID-19 symptoms will not be asked to get tested, but to stay at home until they feel better. Starting Aug. 30 COVID-19 tests will only be available to those who need to go to the hospital or see a physician.
At the same time masks will no longer be mandatory in public transit, rideshares and taxies.
"Test, trace and isolate," said one speaker Wednesday evening, calling those measures the "most basic" the province could keep in place.
Some of the protestors were parents concerned about the government's back-to-school plan. They're worried COVID-19 is more harmful to kids than Premier Jason Kenney and Dr. Deena Hinshaw say.
In a press conference Tuesday, Kenney said the decision was based on science and data.
“People are understandably anxious about both the disease itself and the damaging effect of restrictions,” said Kenney.
Organizers say they'll rally every day until Aug. 16 – the day the changes to public health measures are to take place – in an attempt to get the government to backtrack.
"I feel that if we keep doing this, we can get this government to change its course," said Albert Nobbs, founder of Alberta Activist Collective.
Nobbs says protests have also been happening in other cities across the province including Grande Prairie, Red Deer and Calgary.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.