Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. (Image: Government of Alberta)

By The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta premier says journey to fix health system within 90 days to be ‘bumpy’

Oct 20, 2022 | 4:59 PM

EDMONTON, AB – Premier Danielle Smith is asking Albertans for patience as she embarks on what she calls a “bumpy” and “perilous” ride to reorganize the entire governance structure of provincial health services within 90 days.

Smith, in a speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, says it will be a mammoth undertaking, but it has to be done to fix a health system that is failing Albertans.

Smith has publicly blamed Alberta Health Services for botching its response to the COVID-19 pandemic by not delivering the promised extra hospital beds to handle the flood of patients.

She also criticized the agency for directing employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19, saying that led to needless vacancies and staff shortages.

In her speech, Smith laid current problems such as hospital overcrowding and long wait times at the feet of AHS.

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Smith also reiterated there will be no COVID-19 vaccine mandates or public health restrictions to deal with the virus this fall, along with a change to the Human Rights Act to not allow discrimination on the basis of COVID-19 vaccine status.

(The Canadian Press)