Kenney deflects blame to Hinshaw for lack of action against fourth COVID wave
Posted Nov 2, 2021 4:41 pm.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney appeared to lay some blame on the province’s top doctor for not taking quicker action against rising COVID cases late in the summer.
During a late-night debate in the legislature on Monday, Kenney said Dr. Deena Hinshaw did not make any suggestions while he was on a two-week vacation.
“I continued to be in daily touch (with Hinshaw). Had there been further recommendations later in August to take additional measures I would have immediately convened a cabinet committee meeting to approve those,” said Kenney.
Here's the clip where Premier Kenney says if Dr. Hinshaw had made further recommendations for additional measures in late August, he would have convened a cabinet committee to approve them. #yeg #yyc #ableg #Covid19ab pic.twitter.com/8SZSGGDNfz
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) November 2, 2021
Kenney added it was Hinshaw’s recommendation to suspend COVID-19 measures like contact tracing.
“In mid-August, Dr. Hinshaw, the Chief Medical Officer, reached out to me through the Minister of Health to indicate concern and a decision to suspend most of those measures that have been announced in late July.”
Kenney says there was an error in modelling that he regrets, admitting the province moved into an “endemic” phase of the pandemic too soon.
