Manning to cover Smith’s undelivered public health panel in Alberta during pandemic review

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s promise to convene a group of medical experts to provide ongoing advice on public health and COVID-19 will be covered by the former leader’s pandemic review of Reform Party Preston Manning, his office said Wednesday.

“The central role of the (Manning) panel will be to review legislation and recommend changes to better enable the province to respond to future health emergencies,” Smith spokesman Taylor Hides said in a statement. answering questions about when the scientific panel would be announced.

“The full composition of the panel is being finalized but will be announced as soon as possible.”

Hides did not respond to follow-up questions to explain how Manning’s review fulfills the previously stated divergent mandate of the permanent advisory committee on public health sciences promised by Smith.

Earlier Wednesday, NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley asked if Smith’s promised science panel would ever appear.

“I would start by looking at the concept of the panel with a great deal of skepticism – skepticism that it even exists at all or that we will see such a thing.

“Our Prime Minister regularly says things that are not true and, in fact, she is operating against a backdrop of general chaos and incompetence in terms of an inability to get ideas going.”

Last week, Smith announced that Manning would lead a $2 million investigation into reviewing legislation and rulings aimed at improving how Alberta could handle the next pandemic.

Manning will be paid $253,000 and will report once, in November. He will choose the other members of the panel subject to Smith’s approval.

The panel’s online portal is active. Those who sign are asked to answer a question: “What changes, if any, should be made to the legislation to better equip the province to deal with future public health emergencies?” »

The promise of the scientific advisory board dates back to Smith’s first day in office when she announced she was bringing together a group of public health advisers while replacing Dr. Deena Hinshaw as chief medical officer of health.

Smith accused Hinshaw and Alberta Health Services of failing to provide the best advice and resources to the government during the pandemic, forcing it to impose restrictions.

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“I will be developing a new team of public health advisers,” Smith told reporters shortly after being sworn in on Oct. 11.

Since then, the promised panel has been beset by confusing messages.

In early November, Smith suggested in a public forum that the advisory team was in place and contacting controversial experts such as Paul Alexander.

“I have a group of doctors advising me and I know they’ve contacted Dr. Paul Alexander before, so I’m interested in hearing what he has to say,” Smith said in a debate forum. for the Brooks- Medicine Hat by-election on November 3.

Alexander, an adviser to former US President Donald Trump, has been a vocal critic of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and the usefulness of health restrictions while exposing herd immunity to manage the pandemic.

He dismissed COVID-19 vaccines as “biological weapons.”

Two days later, on November 5, Smith’s office said the advisory team was not in place.

“The Prime Minister is consulting with Health Minister Jason Copping on building a qualified and diverse group of medical experts to advise the government on a range of health issues,” spokeswoman Becca said. Polak in a statement at the time.

“This pool of health advisers will be announced before the end of the year once the necessary vetting and selection process has been completed.”

By the end of the year, the team had not been announced.

Two weeks ago, when asked by reporters about the team, Smith said she expected to announce it within days.

Smith leveraged support from members of the United Conservative Party to win the leadership last October by promising to fix what she called medically questionable violations of human rights and freedoms – such as rules on masking, gathering and vaccination mandate – during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith has long aligned herself with those who question the traditional scientific approach to the pandemic.

She has previously endorsed debunked treatments, such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, and embraced fringe views on the pandemic such as the Great Barrington Declaration, which calls for protecting the elderly and frail, but otherwise leaves COVID -19 run free to boost herd immunity.

Manning, like Smith, has publicly questioned COVID restrictions. He said the rules affect the long-term mental and physical health of Canadians while eroding their Charter rights.

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