Editor:
In healthcare, the number of COVID-19 cases has been rising steadily as well as hospitalizations and deaths. And absentees in the Calgary Board of Eduction are extremely, increasingly high. It may be surprising to some because the government is loathe to release this information with any regularity.
This year there is a triple threat – COVID-19, influenza and a respiratory virus (RSV).
Initially, guidance on masking and vaccinations was extremely slow. Neither Premier Danielle Smith nor Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange would answer questions about whether they would be vaccinated, coyly saying, one after another, they had strong immune systems and it is none of your business.
Smith seems to not like Alberta Health Services and announced last week they were de-centralizing, taking power away from the top to allow for smaller regions and hospitals to make their own decisions regarding masking and vaccinations. Vaccinations have started, but there have been supply issues already.
Shortly afterwards, a directive came out mandating strict masking rules, but regions and hospitals can opt out if they want to. It included almost every person, place or thing, but again, only if you want.
One new area of decentralization is Indigenous health services. Maybe they can rehire Dr. Deena Hinshaw. Let's see how autonomous they'll be.
We should be a little worried about Smith distancing herself from these healthcare decisions. Who is she trying to placate?
The UCP has its annual general meeting in November and the Take Back Alberta group has distinct plans to take over the UCP board.
To be honest, I'm not sure how much power that would bestow upon them, but their leader, David Parker, has several specific goals. And he says they can decide who gets to run as a UCP MLA candidate going forward. His rhetoric is scary and his perceived power is alarming.
Marilyn Foxford,
Canmore
