Braid: Kenney wades into tainted political turf and comes away stained

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There’s no space in Alberta more emblematic of arrogant privilege than the notorious Sky Palace.

After then-premier Alison Redford resigned in 2014, dogged by other scandals, it was finally confirmed that the government was building a private residence for her and her daughter atop Edmonton’s Federal building.

Since January, Premier Jason Kenney has sometimes worked out of the space because of renovations in the nearby legislature.

The area now contains offices, not a luxury suite. But why would he go anywhere near that political graveyard?

NDP Leader Rachel Notley avoided the place like poison when she was premier. The symbolism is just too toxic.

On Wednesday, Sky Palace karma caught up with Kenney.

He’s photographed on the 11th floor deck with ministers in casual postures. House leader Jason Nixon and Health Minister Tyler Shandro are sitting beside Kenney.

There are wine bottles and glasses and a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey. It feels like the moment just before they bring out the cigars.

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The photos, provided anonymously, are a mystery in themselves. They were likely taken either from a drone or by a person across 107th Street in another building.

By looking back up the angle the photos were shot from, the premier’s people might get a good idea where the camera was. Unless it was a drone.

In any case, you can bet they’re trying.

The uproar was instantaneous, and damaging.

The premier’s office says no COVID-19 restrictions are being violated.

This is debatable. The rule for restaurant patios is that only four people can be at a table and they have to be from the same household.

They aren’t observing that one unless Shandro, Nixon and Kenney are secretly brothers.

Of course, the patio isn’t a restaurant. Nor is it exactly a private space where 10 people are allowed to congregate outdoors (as long as there’s no movement from outdoors to indoors, which does appear to happen in one of the photos.)

Whether the premier’s crew is breaking rules or not, they clearly aren’t being very cautious. Nixon and Shandro are close together. There isn’t much distance between them and Kenney. Nobody wears a mask.

You might say this is nitpicking on a grand scale. We’re all sick of restrictions.

But these very people have been urging, cajoling and ordering Albertans to obey the restrictions for more than a year.

It was Kenney himself who said he would kick out of caucus any UCP member who breaks the rules.

And this wasn’t even the worst thing that happened to Kenney on Wednesday.

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Okimaw Vernon Watchmaker, Grand Chief of the Treaty 6 Confederacy, blasted Kenney for his denunciation of “cancel culture.”

“The premier’s diatribe was particularly insensitive, especially on the heels of the mass grave discovery in Kamloops B.C., and one day after a vigil was held at the Alberta legislature to show honour, respect and unity to the loss of innocent lives of First Nation children,” the chief said.

He also noted that Treaty 6 has ended a co-operation agreement with the government.

In the legislature, Kenney had powerfully condemned the residential school tragedy. But separately, he opposed removing historical figures from public view, especially Sir John A. Macdonald.

It’s all about judgment. Which brings us back to the Sky Palace.

Most of the details emerged in the months after Redford had already quit. She was forced out by many scandals, including her peculiar notions about her travel rights, which included a $45,000 tab to fly back from South Africa.

To this day it’s the Sky Palace, with that dead perfect nickname, that remains the indelible Alberta symbol of unbounded political hubris.

Bad vibes, that place. Jason Kenney just found out the hard way.

Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald

dbraid@postmedia.com

Twitter: @DonBraid

Facebook: Don Braid Politics