Premier Jason Kenney answers Stampede related questions following release of reopening strategy

CALGARY — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney hopped on Facebook Wednesday evening to answer questions after he announced the province’s plan for reopening over the coming weeks.

The Live touched on topics like Alberta’s economic rebound, international travel, further restrictions and more.

WATCH: Jason Kenney takes to Facebook Live to answer questions regarding the province’s reopening plan.

Of all the topics discussed, one main point brought up consistently throughout the stream was questions surrounding the Calgary Stampede.

Kenney was asked how he can be so sure Stampede will go ahead when Alberta doesn’t know if it will be at Stage 3 at that point.

“We don’t know for 100 per cent sure when we’ll reach that 70 per cent threshold of population protection. But, all indications are that we will reach that threshold before the second week of July,” Kenney said.

There is a backup plan to limit capacity for summer events if we don't meet the stage 3 thresholds. Stampede would be allowed 50 per cent capacity in that case

— Jeff Slack (@Jeffslack660) May 27, 2021

The premier then ran through vaccination numbers in the province and how things look promising for Alberta to hit the threshold by the time the Stampede rolls around.

He was then asked how the province can treat those travelling into Canada for the event.

“International travel restrictions are entirely within the purview of the Government of Canada, they control who enters our borders and on what conditions,” he said.

Kenney says his government will be making a case to the federal government to restore the “very successful Alberta top travel pilot” that the government had in place for much of last year.

He says this allowed people to enter the country, take a rapid test, and quarantine for roughly 36 hours, and if they were negative they were all-clear.

“We’re going to be lobbying the feds to come back to that, although I would not object at all if the feds were to maintain more stringent travel restrictions, like flight bans, from serious COVID variant hotspots,” Kenney said. “So, I think we need an intelligent, careful, targeted approach to travel.”

He was also asked about a vaccine clinic on the Stampede grounds.

Kenney responded saying he hopes that’s a possibility, saying it would be a huge health advantage to have people come down for the event and leave with a vaccination.