Letter: We can’t stay silent while our premier refuses assistance

By Letter to the Editor on October 1, 2021.

Dear editor,

I can no longer be silent and expect our doctors and nurses to fight our provincial government on my behalf. There is no doubt in my mind that we are here in this life-and-death battle as a result of the actions of our premier.

Government-sanctioned parties as of July, Mr. Kenney holidaying in Europe for much of August and a failure to act in a timely manner to implement strategies (vaccine passports, mask mandates, etc.) that have been proven to be effective in other jurisdictions, has left Albertans in the worst position vis-a-vie COVID as compared to any province in Canada.

In spite of the substantial risks Albertans face if we cannot access medical care for non-COVID emergencies, Mr. Kenney has rebuffed the offers by other provinces to accept COVID patients and has not responded to the federal government’s offers to send military assistance.

Instead, as quoted in the Globe and Mail (Sept. 29, 2021 article by Carrie Tait and James Keller), he has “contacted American health-care facilities” and “some may be able to take on COVID-19 patients”. Help me understand how this government can find the funds to pay for American health-care services, while they are attempting to cut the wages and salaries of our health-care workers and rebuffing the less costly services provided by other provinces or the federal government?

Even prior to this latest questionable decision, the Alberta Government has chosen not to access various federal programs and grants that would provide some relief to Albertans during this time. This would seem to be all in the name of partisan politics and not our best interests.

Furthermore, while the proverbial Titanic is sinking, we have other UCP MLAs seemingly rearranging the deck chairs. The “Free Alberta” strategy is apparently gaining momentum of late with our Deputy Speaker of the Legislature, Ms. Angela Pitt, reportedly endorsing the province declaring itself a sovereign jurisdiction.

One of our local MLAs has been pushing this mandate as well. At a time of crisis, where we cannot manage our own affairs, pursuing an agenda to “Free Alberta” is ludicrous. Could our MLAs please focus on what matters – getting our fellow citizens educated with evidence-supported information, increasing the vaccination rates, establishing necessary restrictions to reduce spread and taking all offers of help within our country, regardless of the politics behind the help?

Respectfully,

Bonnie Rude-Weisman

Medicine Hat

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