Jason Kenney Under Fire Over Radio Interview Linking Spread of COVID-19 to South Asian ‘Traditions’

Jason Kenney is facing a heavy backlash after he told Northeast Calgary’s sizeable South Asian community they need a COVID-19 “wake up call.”

During an appearance on Red-FM, a radio station that serves Calgary’s South Asian community, Alberta’s Premier singled out the community’s traditions as the main cause of Alberta’s out-of-control spread of COVID-19.

“We see a very high level of spread of COVID-19 in the South Asian community,” Kenney told Red-FM host Rishi Nagar.

“We know that it’s a tradition to have big family gatherings at home and we think this is one of the reasons why we have seen a much higher level spread in the community than other parts of the population.”

While Kenney insisted he was not trying to “blame or target anyone,” the Premier rejected the suggestion that COVID-19 levels are higher in racialized working-class communities because they don’t have the luxury of working from home.

“But Premier sir, the problem is … the people living in this area are the taxi drivers, they are the transit drivers, they are the truck drivers, they are working in the cleaning facilities in the airports and other janitorial services are being provided by these people,” Nagar told Kenney. “They can’t stay home.”

Kenney conceded there are “higher levels” of COVID-19 in the community because many “work in the hospitals and long-term care,”  but insisted “40% of the spread of COVID-19 in Alberta goes back to private social functions, gatherings and homes.”

“Generally speaking, workplaces are pretty safe.”

“I’m calling your program with a wake up call,” Kenney said. “We must, must have people understand the new law is no social functions at home.”

Northeast Calgary’s South Asian community has not been impressed by Kenney’s statements, which were viewed as scapegoating the community and :

My bad, I realize that should read “transmission”. Also I found this on Instagram and it has been shared on a couple South-Asian Facebook groups and people in the comments say they are upset at being singled out, especially when there are anti-mask rallies happening. #ableg #yyc

— Kashmala Fida (@KashFida) November 29, 2020

The audacity this man has to single out my community when there are literal anti-mask rallies and malls packed with people.

NE Calgary are essential workers. The taxi drivers couldn’t stay home (my dad included) because his company was gonna take his plate away if he did #ableg https://t.co/RfsVgy5NkB

— Haiqa Cheema (@haiqa_cheema) November 29, 2020

Matt Wolf, the Premier’s high-paid issues manager, attempted to pour cold water on the growing controversy, pointing to mainstream news stories echoing similar concerns over the unique dangers COVID-19 poses to South Asian communities.

Wolf pointed to a Toronto Star column suggesting South Asians are at greater risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19:

The Premier went on to spread awareness to stem high levels of spread.

Feel free to link to the full interview: https://t.co/yDkfV3WgQw

Relevant read: ‘South Asians play a part in COVID-19 transmission and we need to acknowledge it’ https://t.co/1lQWBY1VqJ #ableg

— Matt Wolf (@MattWolfAB) November 29, 2020

However, even the article cited by Kenney’s issues manager makes the same point that Kenney himself had downplayed in favour of a cultural explanation:

“South Asians have a strong presence in public-facing professions in health care, commercial business, and the service/manufacturing industry, creating a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19 outside of home.”

Many also questioned why the Premier reserved his tough talk for a working-class South Asian community while he remained silent about right-wing anti-mask protesters recently marching through the streets of Calgary.

AB at a glance:

There was an anti-mask rally that went unchecked in YYC, our contact tracing is shit bc we have no app & cases continue to explode & after being absent most of Nov, Kenney finds time to blame the South Asian community for his own incompetence…#AbLeg #abpoli

— Soraya Lakhani (@sorayalakhani) November 30, 2020

So ridiculous for Kenney to target an ethnic group like this. I live in NE Calgary. The demographics for who I see not wearing a mask every single time I go out match this anti-mask super-spreader rally that you allowed.

Get outta here w/ this divisive BS, Matt.#ableg https://t.co/ddQ6iT4zT3 pic.twitter.com/w6Z8t4YvoC

— ???? (@samifouad) November 30, 2020

Despite Kenney downplaying working conditions as a social determinant of who gets COVID-19, one recent Canadian study looking at data from Ontario found workers in “lower-paying jobs in the service industry and/or other high-exposure occupations” are among the highest risk for being infected with COVID-19.

Stefan Baral, co-author of the study, told the Calgary Herald

that the higher rates of COVID-19 in Northeast Calgary most likely correlate with the number of people who work in public spaces and rely on public transit.

“They’re still out there, delivering Amazon, delivering food,” Baral told the Herald. “Their exposures haven’t really changed that much, in the context of a lockdown or not a lockdown, because they’re considered essential workers.”

On Sunday, Albera’s Government reported 1,608 new COVID-19 cases and 9 deaths

as the province’s surging infection rate begins to overwhelm hospital capacity.

Despite calls from doctors and frontline health workers for tougher public health measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, Kenney has stated he is ideologically opposed to “indiscriminately violating people’s rights” by enforcing restrictions in the name of public health.