Mounting pressure on Alberta premier as doctors and experts call for his resignation
Increasing criticism is being directed at Premier Jason Kenney for Alberta's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The calls from doctors and political experts for the premier to step down are growing louder following Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw's admission that lifting pandemic restrictions for the summer was a mistake. The mounting pressure for change also comes as the number of COVID-19 patients in Alberta's intensive care units reaches record highs.
The premier has yet to respond to the criticism. Kenney has not addressed the province or answered questions from media since Sept. 3, when he announced the $100 vaccine incentive.
The premier was scheduled to make remarks at an oil and gas conference in Fort McMurray Wednesday, but that appearance has been cancelled. Instead, Kenney called an emergency meeting with his COVID-19 cabinet committee.
Duane Bratt, a political scientist at MRU, is questioning the premier's pandemic leadership, asking how many Albertan's lives need to be put at risk to keep the UCP together.
"I don’t know how they can survive this," said Bratt. "You often hear wealthy people in hospitals say 'money can’t buy your health'. Well, neither can party unity."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also taking aim at Kenney’s leadership, and says he feels bad for the millions of Albertans that are fully vaccinated.
Dr. James Talbot, Alberta's former chief medical officer of health, says he hopes the UCP will learn from past mistakes. Following Dr. Deena Hinshaw's comments about how the pandemic has been handled, Talbot says he's interested to see how the government will now act in a time of crisis.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.