Calgary health centre taking extra security measures amid planned weekend protests

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) says extra security measures are being taken at a health centre in Calgary’s Beltline to protect patients and workers from those protesting pandemic health restrictions.

AUPE, which represents 55,000 workers in Alberta's health care sector, says front-line workers, patients and people living near the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre have been subjected to protests for weeks.

"Things got worse after the truck convoy hit the news, leading to bad and sometimes dangerous behaviour at the centre," AUPE vice president Bobby-Joe Borodey said in a news release.

A larger protest is being planned for this weekend, something that Borodey says worries workers.

“Protesters have blocked the ambulance bay, they have harassed workers and patients as they come to and from the centre, they’ve banged on the windows of the facility to upset people inside and they have blocked roads around the centre. One worker had to sit in her car for an hour after finishing her shift because of the traffic congestion,” Borodey said.

“Our members say they are scared when walking into the centre to start work, when walking to their cars parked outside after their shifts, or to catch buses and transit home.

In a statement Friday afternoon, Alberta Health Services (AHS) says it is working with Calgary Police to keep staff safe. CPS says it is aware of the planned demonstration over the weekend and will be on hand to protect public safety.

Friends of Medicare says employees at some hospitals and health facilities have been told to avoid wearing their scrubs to and from work - to hide their identity as someone who cares for the sick.

Health Sciences Association of Alberta president Mike Parker called out both protesters and the premier over the recent demonstrations.

"The fact that people would protest outside of a hospital and block ambulances and our health professionals from providing life-saving care is disgusting and downright dangerous," Parker said in a statement.

"The premier needs to stop caving to fringe groups and protect the health-care workers that are protecting all of us."

CTV News spoke with a number of AHS health-care workers outside Sheldon Chumir centre Friday - two said that staff are now including personal safety outside the building as part of their start of shift meetings.

"We've never had to do that before as it pertains to outside the building," said one health-care worker as she got off shift.

AHS employees are not permitted to speak to media so CTV News agreed to hide her identity.

"It absolutely takes a toll," she said.

Another health-care worker said the current climate is demoralizing and staff feel like no one in authority has their back.

"I think the unpredictability of it adds another layer of challenge and definitely wanting provincial backup for, you know, those of us doing this work is what's hard to find right now. And that also affects morale," she said.

"This we're in it together mentality is really shifted to, you know, everyone for themselves. And that's that's not how you get through a crisis like this."

Alberta Justice says the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act is available, but that enforcement decisions are made by law enforcement.

AUPE's Borodey says stronger action needs to be taken to stand up for health care workers.

“This is no way to treat patients in need of care or to treat front-line workers. Albertans have been calling health-care workers heroes for two years, but these protesters think it’s OK to bully and harass them.”

 

AUPE says it has been working with AHS and other union partners to increase security measures for the weekend, and that there will be extra staff on hand from AHS’s protective services who can walk health care workers into the facility.

 

“Our members may be scared, but they are also determined and they are dedicated to caring for Albertans in need. They will not let ignorant bullies stop them from doing their jobs,” Borodey said.