Alberta premier Jason Kenney recently came under fire after making alleged racist comments against the Chinese community during a year-end interview with Postmedia's Rick Bell.During the interview, the Canadian politician addressed concerns related to the new variants of COVID-19 and talked about China’s Wuhan province, where the virus was first detected:"Who knows what the next variant that gets thrown up is? I don't know. And what's the next bat soup thing out of Wuhan? I don't know. I've learned from bitter experience not to make predictions about this."Rachel Notley@RachelNotleyStill no apology from Jason Kenney for his racist comments in a newspaper column that ran yesterday.These comments spread hate and fear at a time when, perhaps more than ever before, Albertans need to come together.Premier, apologize and denounce racism in all forms. #ableg12:57 PM · Dec 24, 2021933164Still no apology from Jason Kenney for his racist comments in a newspaper column that ran yesterday.These comments spread hate and fear at a time when, perhaps more than ever before, Albertans need to come together.Premier, apologize and denounce racism in all forms. #ablegThe remarks were immediately condemned on social media, with other political leaders like Rachel Notley and Mary Ng demanding an apology from the premier.Twitter calls out Jason Kenney for alleged anti-Asian remarksSocial media users called out Jason Kenney for recent comments against Wuhan (Image via Rick Madonik/Getty Images)Jason Kenney is a Canadian politician and the leader of the Union Conservative Party. He was named the 18th premier of Alberta and has continued to serve in the position since 2019.However, the politician recently left several people disappointed with his racially-inappropriate comments against the Chinese community in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several social media users took to Twitter to call out the premiere for his controversial statements:Lanie (she/her)@MintOwlsI still remember being accused of having SARS when I came back from the Philippines back in 2002-2004. I was a kid, getting yelled at for eating bats and snakes. It was racist then. It’s still racist Jason Kenney.1:44 AM · Dec 24, 20211981208I still remember being accused of having SARS when I came back from the Philippines back in 2002-2004. I was a kid, getting yelled at for eating bats and snakes. It was racist then. It’s still racist Jason Kenney.Andrew Phung@andrewphungYou have failed the people of Alberta. You’ve consistently made wrong decisions in this health crisis, and racist comments like these are a reminder of why you are unfit to lead Alberta @jkenney.2:55 AM · Dec 23, 20212906599You have failed the people of Alberta. You’ve consistently made wrong decisions in this health crisis, and racist comments like these are a reminder of why you are unfit to lead Alberta @jkenney. https://t.co/TZJ8krjSFxBarb@Barbielynn01Jason Kenney is racist & unfit to lead Alberta @jkenney12:39 PM · Dec 24, 2021636111Jason Kenney is racist & unfit to lead Alberta @jkenneyThomas Dang@ThomasDangABThis is an unbelievably racist statement. Throughout this pandemic, Jason Kenney and the UCP have used dog whistle language. Now they are being openly racist. #ableg #yeg #abracism6:43 AM · Dec 23, 2021855133This is an unbelievably racist statement. Throughout this pandemic, Jason Kenney and the UCP have used dog whistle language. Now they are being openly racist. #ableg #yeg #abracism https://t.co/5DqqaO4hiBPadraic McCombe@patmccombeThis is the second time during the pandemic that @jkenney has deliberately targeted the Asian community with racist comments. Time to step down or be removed. You are an embarrassment to normal Albertans. twitter.com/KevinCTV/statu…Kevin Nimmock@KevinCTVIn a statement to @CTVCalgary, Harrison Fleming, Kenney's acting press secretary, said "it is obviously ridiculous to suggest that these widely reported scientific theories are 'racist'."calgary.ctvnews.ca/kenney-s-wuhan…2:18 AM · Dec 24, 202113725In a statement to @CTVCalgary, Harrison Fleming, Kenney's acting press secretary, said "it is obviously ridiculous to suggest that these widely reported scientific theories are 'racist'."calgary.ctvnews.ca/kenney-s-wuhan…This is the second time during the pandemic that @jkenney has deliberately targeted the Asian community with racist comments. Time to step down or be removed. You are an embarrassment to normal Albertans. twitter.com/KevinCTV/statu…Luke Fevin@According2LukeJason Kenney making racist comments is a feature, not a bug.3:06 AM · Dec 24, 202114617Jason Kenney making racist comments is a feature, not a bug.#FiretheUCP.ca@firetheucp.@jkenney is a racist. #FireTheUCP11:18 AM · Dec 24, 2021306.@jkenney is a racist. #FireTheUCPCarla Peck, PhD 🌈 #ally@cpeck3For the UCP, racism is a feature, not a bug. What further proof do you need?❌JK employed a speechwriter who has a history of racist views.cbc.ca/news/canada/ca… ❌Blamed South Asian community for spread of COVID in #yyc.calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-s-sout…1/?4:16 AM · Dec 23, 202110942For the UCP, racism is a feature, not a bug. What further proof do you need?❌JK employed a speechwriter who has a history of racist views.cbc.ca/news/canada/ca… ❌Blamed South Asian community for spread of COVID in #yyc.calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-s-sout…1/?Paul Haavardsrud@PaulHaavardsrudAll I want for Christmas is for the premier of my province to maybe refrain from trading in dog whistle, anti-Asian sentiment.2:35 AM · Dec 23, 20211539285All I want for Christmas is for the premier of my province to maybe refrain from trading in dog whistle, anti-Asian sentiment. https://t.co/oWXFPhlKfaWaynethurson in Camp 133@WaynthursonJason Kenney made a racist remark; I am not surprised. Albertans who voted for him and his party knew this about him and many will probably vote for him again. #ableg2:15 AM · Dec 24, 20211Jason Kenney made a racist remark; I am not surprised. Albertans who voted for him and his party knew this about him and many will probably vote for him again. #ablegIn response to the backlash, Jason Kenny’s acting press secretary addressed the situation in a statement to CTV News Calgary:"It is obviously ridiculous to suggest that these widely-reported scientific theories are racist. The Premier's comment obviously referred to the widely-reported theory that the first human infection of COVID-19 resulted from transmission between an infected bat and a human in the Wuhan region of China.”He refuted claims of Kenny’s statement being racially offensive in nature and said that the premier aimed to mention that no prediction can be made about the future catalyst of the pandemic:“The World Health Organization has concluded that direct spread from bats to humans in Wuhan is a 'likely' scenario to explain the beginning of human transmission. The Premier’s comment underscored that there is no way to predict what the catalyst of a future pandemic will be, or how future variants might evolve."Fleming also shared that Kenney hosted two dinners at Chinese restaurants in Edmonton and Calgary earlier this year to "show solidarity with the Chinese community" and to "condemn racist sentiments directed at the Chinese community with respect to COVID-19."Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the premiere will directly acknowledge the situation and respond to the criticism in the days to come.