Liberal minister accuses Alberta of 'abdication' for resisting gun buybacks

Ryan Tumilty - Yesterday - National Post

OTTAWA – Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said his government will go ahead with plans for a mandatory gun buyback program, over the objections of Alberta’s justice minister, who has said he would see to it that police in his province, including the RCMP, would not take part in the effort.


A restricted gun licence holder holds a AR-15 at his home in Langley, B.C. on May 1, 2020.

Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro announced Monday he would reject the Liberals’ plans to enforce the collection of privately owned weapons for buyback, including by directing the RCMP in the province not to enforce the new legislation. He said there are much more important issues to address right now.

“It’s important to remember that Alberta taxpayers pay over $750 million per year for the RCMP and we will not tolerate taking officers off the streets in order to confiscate the property of law-abiding firearms owners.”

Mendicino wrote to Shandro last month asking for assistance implementing the government’s proposed buyback program, which aims to take what the Liberals call “assault-style” firearms out of private hands. Mendicino said Shandro simply can’t ignore a federal law because he doesn’t agree with it.

“To simply issue a letter saying we’re going to resist, we’re not going to co-operate with the federal government is wrong,” he said. “It’s an abdication of responsibility. It’s an abdication, because it suggests that any province has the ability to opt out of a federal law when it relates to firearms.”

The Liberals used an order in council to reclassify the weapons as prohibited, and beginning this fall the government will offer what they have determined to be the fair market rate for the guns. The government published a list of compensation rates earlier this summer.

Shandro announced the Alberta government would also join legal challenges against the federal government’s gun legislation that have been working through the courts.

Related video: Province aims to take over administrative responsibilities for firearms from Ottawa

Duration 1:23  View on Watch

The Liberals program aims to buyback 1,500 models of firearms the government has described as “assault style.” Mendicino said regulating firearms is squarely in the purview of the federal government and Shandro should work with the Liberals on the program instead of fighting them.

“The courts have repeatedly held this is an issue that falls within the jurisdiction of the federal government. And therefore it is our hope and our expectation that we will work collaboratively with all provinces and territories,” Mendicino said.

He said he has no doubts police forces across Alberta will take part in the program.

“We would expect that any law on the books will be enforced, by law enforcement,” Mendicino said.

The RCMP in Alberta act as the province’s police force outside of Calgary and Edmonton and the provincial government covers 70 per cent of the costs of the force.

Shandro said the contract the province has with the RCMP allows them to object when RCMP resources are being used for laws the province doesn’t support and they are invoking that provision of the contract.

Shandro said the RCMP’s senior officer in Alberta doesn’t support using his officers but an RCMP spokesperson would not confirm this when reached on Wednesday.

Shandro argued the Liberals’ entire gun control agenda is driven by politics instead of any real public safety needs and Alberta won’t help with that effort.

“While the federal government has labeled them as, in their words, ’assault style,’ that’s a label designed to scare Canadians who are unfamiliar with firearms. It’s a description based purely on their appearance,” he said. “This is politically motivated, confiscation, pure and simple. One that will do nothing to make Alberta a safer place.”

The Liberals brought in the new rules shortly after the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting, although the weapons used by the gunman were all either already illegal or illegally obtained and three were smuggled in from the United States.

Mendicino defended the buyback program, arguing it specifically targets weapons that were used in deadly shootings.

“Assault style rifles are not used for hunting. They’re used and were designed to exert the most amount of lethal force in the shortest period of time.”

Twitter: RyanTumilty
Email: rtumilty@postmedia.com

SEE https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2022/09/alberta-wont-participate-in-federal.html

RIGHT WING ANTI MASKERS

 Protesters harass Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro and family at Canada Day event

Author of the article:Newsroom Staff
Publishing date:Jul 01, 2021 • 

Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro and his family arrive and were greeted by hecklers and protests at a Canada Day event in Parkland in southeast Calgary on Thursday, July 1, 2021. PHOTO BY JIM WELLS /Postmedia
Article content

Alberta’s health minister says he’s disappointed after supporters of a fringe Calgary mayoral candidate verbally harassed him and his family at a Canada Day event Thursday.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro was arriving at the Parkland Community Association in southeast Calgary with his wife and two sons when several supporters of fringe mayoral candidate Kevin J. Johnston began swarming him.

The protesters chanted “Lock Shandro up,” called him a war criminal and asked him to answer for destroying the lives and businesses of Albertans through COVID-19 restrictions. The harassment visibly upset one of Shandro’s young sons.

Speaking to media after the harassment, Shandro said it was “an unfortunate way” for people to express their views, particularly during a Canada Day event meant for celebration.

“Obviously, throughout the pandemic there has been a lot of high emotions on both sides of the political spectrum, but this is a day to focus on celebrating Stage 3, celebrating family,” Shandro said.

“There’s some anxiety for them to hear people believing some of this disinformation about vaccines. It’s been unfortunate, and the way it was expressed today was unfortunate.”

Some of those yelling at Shandro were supporters of Kevin J. Johnston, a far-right agitator running for mayor in Calgary’s upcoming municipal election.

Johnston remains in jail while awaiting trial on two criminal charges of causing a disturbance and disobeying a court order relating to incidents at downtown Calgary’s Core shopping complex, in which he and others went into shoe stores without masks.

Johnston, 49, was charged again Thursday, this time related to the alleged harassment of an Alberta Health Services employee. Police said in a news release Johnston “engaged in the harassment of the employee by way of threatening conduct directed at the victim in person, on social media and online” between April 24 and May 22.

He is due in court on the harassment charge July 12. He also faces a $1.3-million lawsuit filed by AHS.

Alberta regional chief hopes ‘political will’ leads to action to combat racism in health care

Alberta Regional Chief Marlene Poitras is determined not to be frustrated by provincial government officials who are only now “becoming aware” of the racism faced by First Nations in the province. She’s wiling to accept that if it leads to change.

“The discovery of those children in residential schools, I really believe, has woken up people to the issues of First Nations people in this country,” said Poitras, referring to the unmarked graves located at former residential school sites at Tk’emlups te Secwépemc, B.C., Cowessess First Nation, Sask. and other places in recent months.

“I think that while the awareness was likely there, the will to do something is now becoming more evident because of what happened,” said Poitras.

Yesterday, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced that the province would be providing close to $2.8 million to fund Indigenous-led mental health services for those impacted by Canada’s residential school system.

After that announcement, Shandro held a meeting with Environment and Parks Minister Jason Nixon, Poitras and O’Chiese First Nation Chief Douglas Beaverbones and Sunchild Councillor Joey Pete to discuss a recent incident of racist treatment. Also at the meeting were representatives and staff from Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County. Nixon is also MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre.

Nixon is also MLA for Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre.

Earlier this month, O’Chiese member Sonny Strawberry posted on social media two encounters he had in quick succession. On July 4, he flagged down Lakeside EMS. He was on the road with his mother sitting beside him in his car, unconscious. But the EMS paramedics turned down Strawberry and care to his mother saying they were “out of service.” Later, at the hospital, a security guard challenged his sobriety and accused him of bringing in drugs.

From this incident, O’Chiese, Sunchild and Big Horn First Nations and the town of Rocky Mountain House announced the formation of an anti-racism task force.

Poitras says Nixon “is going to be more involved in working with the Nations and figure out what exactly they need to get this task force up and running in a good way.”

However, Poitras says she was firm in stressing that the racism experienced in Rocky Mountain House is not unique. It is experienced by First Nations in the healthcare system—and other systems, such as justice—throughout the province. She also said that racism was experienced by Indigenous people working in the healthcare system.

“Racism has no place in this province, least of all in the health system,” said Steve Buick, press secretary to Shandro.

Poitras said accountability measures had to be put in place. A form available at a healthcare centre to be filled out with concerns is not enough.

“They fill it out and it goes wherever. Whether they deal with it or not is up to the person on the other end of things. I told (Shandro) we need to build the trust of our people that something is being done. They need to respond,” she said.

Poitras recommended a 1-800 number for complaints where there is “somebody at the other end that's going to make note of their concerns and deal with it. We need that kind of response. We need to quit talking and we need to take action.”

She also pointed out that Elders, who are the most vulnerable and the most in need of treatment, are afraid to get health services so steps need to be taken “to ensure our people are comfortable using those services.”

She brought up the high number of suicides and overdoses among First Nations people. She said the money announced for residential schools is a “good start, but then we need to do more and we need to keep on top of it. And as we’re moving along and we discover what it is that we need then everybody needs to come together and figure out a way how to move forward.”

Poitras said Shandro will be sharing a list of recommendations that came from the meeting. She said she will compile her own list of recommendations from the meeting and will be sending them to Shandro and asking him “to please follow up.”

“We need to have the political will and be serious about working together to address systemic racism in Alberta,” said Poitras.

She says she believes she heard that commitment from Shandro and the other ministers.

“It was just a commitment that they spoke about and how they're becoming aware of the issues and that they want to do something about it,” she said.

“The minister thought the meeting was very positive and respectful on all sides. There was real value in bringing this group together so that AHS could hear the concerns of the First Nations face to face, and he’s deeply grateful to the chiefs for their engagement, and their commitment to working through the issues,” said Buick.

Buick said that Shandro committed to meet with the chiefs to review progress and hear any other concerns.

Windspeaker.com

By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com

Alberta outsourcing health-care services, axing 11,000 jobs as part of multi-year plan to control spending
Tyler Dawson 

44 YEARS OF THE ONE PARTY STATE OF PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVES

AND THEIR AUSTERITY IDEOLOGY RETURN AS A SPECTRE OF ITSELF

AS THE UCP 

© Provided by National Post Health Minister Tyler Shandro.
WHO HAS NO CLUE ABOUT HIS JOB AS HE HAS NO MEDICAL OR HEALTH

EDUCATION NOR EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING LARGE CORPORATIONS

EDMONTON — Even as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating, the Alberta government is forging ahead with a multi-year plan for cuts to ancillary health-care services, including privatizing laboratory work and laundry services, with the aim of saving some $600 million annually.

The United Conservative Party has long promised to rein in provincial spending and, by extension, get a grip on health-care spending, which has an operating budget in excess of $20 billion and accounts for 42 per cent of government spending.

The cuts announced Tuesday amount to 11,000 jobs over the next few years, some 9,700 of them from services such as laundry and food preparation, and a further 1,300 care and support staff because of attrition.

Alberta health minister Tyler Shandro said there will be no cuts to frontline medical staff during the pandemic; any job losses to such staff will come as the result of attrition, or under “existing initiatives.”

“This approach will ensure Alberta’s pandemic response remains our top priority,” Shandro said.

The Alberta government sees the latest round of cuts as complementary to another government promise — to tackle wait times, which have grown during the pandemic. Last month, Shandro said they were going to “keep that promise, pandemic or no pandemic.”

The government predicts the changes would save $600 million annually, and savings would be put back into patient care. The cuts would total roughly 2,000 laboratory jobs, 4,000 housekeeping jobs, 3,000 food service jobs and 400 laundry jobs.

HOUSEKEEPING IS THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE IN  THE PANDEMIC

THEY ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN A SPECIALISED CLEANING JOB

FOOD SERVICE IS PERSONAL AS WELL, FOOD WOULD BE CONTRACTED OUT TO AN EXSITING COMMERCIAL SERVICE LIKE ARAMARK

Shandro said 68 per cent of laundry services and 70 per cent of laboratory services are already contracted out. The cuts to housekeeping and food preparation won’t come until Alberta Health Services (AHS) develops a business case for each, due in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

THERE IS NO SAVINGS WHEN WORKERS ARE CONTRACTED OUT AS THE CONTRACTOR INCREASES COSTS ANNUALLY, WHILE NOT PASSING THOSE BENEFITS ON TO ITS WORKERS

Second wave reaches western Canada as Alberta sees surge of COVID-19 cases
Alberta outlines government-wide strategy for attracting new investment to province

“This looks like, really, standard-type management reorganization within the health-care sector,” said Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst at the C.D. Howe Institute. “It’s not so much that there’s now $600 million that can be spent elsewhere, it’s that this action will prevent $600 million being spent.”

Dr. Michael Rachlis, a professor at the University of Toronto in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said it’s possible the initiative will save money, but there are catches.

“Without a detailed analysis we don’t know if there’s actually going to be money saved or not. AHS will still be paying for laundry, it just won’t be done by AHS employees,” Rachlis explained.

Any cuts to health-care services or changes to health care more broadly, have become a flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shandro has been involved in acrimonious negotiations with the Alberta Medical Association regarding physician pay and extra billing. There has also been a substantial back-and-forth between the government and doctors about whether or not physicians are absconding to sunnier pastures.

As well, the province has a plan to allow private surgical clinics to try and clear out a backlog of surgery patients, another promise of the UCP.

“Is there any evidence that privatizing the surgery would save any money? It might, but there’s a compelling case that suggests it might not,” said Rachlis.

The Alberta government, according to its August fiscal update, spent $2.5 billion on its pandemic response.

John Church, a professor of political science at the University of Alberta who studies health policy, pointed out that the push for more private medical treatment in the province “isn’t new for Alberta.”

“The tactical advantage here is that they’re counting on a population that has bought into the ideology that they’re pitching. And historically, they’re actually fairly accurate,” Church said.

The New Democrat opposition party has repeatedly attacked Jason Kenney’s government for moving towards what they see as “American-style” private health care.

NDP leader Rachel Notley, called the Tuesday health-care cuts “completely irresponsible.”

With files from the Edmonton Journal and The Canadian Press

Alberta government to cut up to 11,000 health-care jobs

EDMONTON — The Alberta government will cut up to 11,000 jobs at Alberta Health Services to save money — a move the Opposition says is cruel and will create chaos in the health-care system.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Health Minister Tyler Shandro made the announcement Tuesday at a news conference in Edmonton, noting that nurses and front-line workers will not lose their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some of the cuts will come from further contracting out of laundry and lab services, with possibly housekeeping and food services also being outsourced in the future, he said.

A minimum of 100 management positions will also be eliminated and there will be a review of senior executives before the end of the fiscal year.

The government estimates the move will save up to $600 million a year.

"Given the circumstances that Alberta faces, this approach strikes the right balance between the two unprecedented challenges we face as a province — on one hand the response to the pandemic, and on the other hand the fiscal responsibility we face as Albertans," Shandro said.

He said that every dollar saved will go into patient care to improve the health-care system.
CONTRAC5ING OUT DOES NOT SAVE MONEY

But Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Premier Jason Kenney is intent on bringing American-style health care to Alberta.

"These plans are cruel. They are irresponsible and they are stupid," Notley said at a news conference. "They will create nothing but chaos throughout health-care institutions across this province."

Notley said people who do housekeeping, prepare food and provide laboratory services are front-line workers in every way, and forcing them out to seek lower paying jobs in the private sector is unconscionable.

"It is a turning point in Alberta history," she said.

"I think that all Albertans are going to be very, very upset because this is the exact opposite from what Jason Kenney committed to Albertans when he asked them for their vote."

An official with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) said Shandro's promise that the layoffs won't affect front-line workers does not seem sincere.

"There is nothing to prevent this government from prematurely declaring the pandemic to be over whenever it pleases, so this is a relatively meaningless promise," said David Harrigan, labour relations director for the UNA.

"Stability in the midst of a pandemic won't be achieved by short staffed hospitals and burnt out health care workers."

Dr. Verna Yiu, president of AHS, said the pandemic is the single-greatest public health challenge the agency has ever faced.

"The pandemic is not over. It is far from over," she said at a news conference Tuesday.

"We must also continue to evolve the health-care system so that it is financially stable now and into the future."

The cost-cutting measures received the endorsement of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
KENNEY USED TO BE THEIR PAID MOUTHPIECE 

"Today's announcement is an excellent step to make Alberta's health-care system more efficient," said Franco Terrazzano, the Alberta director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

"Alberta's businesses do a great job of doing laundry and preparing meals, so this is a no-brainer to help relieve some of the mounting costs to taxpayers."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press

ALBERTA TORY JUSTICE

Court of Appeal quashes contempt conviction for Edmonton lawyer who refused judge's mask order

Hamdi Issawi - Edmonton Journal

Retired defence lawyer Peter Royal, seen in a 2012 file photo. Alberta's Court of Appeal quashed a 2021 conviction that found Royal in contempt of court for refusing a judge's order to wear a face covering.© Provided by Edmonton Journal

Alberta’s Court of Appeal quashed a contempt conviction for an Edmonton lawyer who refused to wear a mask in court last year.

Peter Royal, a prominent defence lawyer who has since retired, was cited with contempt of court during a July 2021 hearing after refusing provincial court Judge Marilena Carminati’s order to wear a face covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another provincial court judge held a hearing the following November, found Royal in contempt and ordered him to pay a $2,000 fine.

In a decision issued Tuesday, the Court of Appeal ruled that the second provincial court judge “had no jurisdiction to entertain a proceeding for contempt before another judge,” and set aside the conviction.

Steven Penney, a professor with the University of Alberta’s faculty of law, told Postmedia the decision relies on a fairly obscure and brief Supreme Court of Canada judgment.

“The Alberta Court of Appeal found there was binding Supreme Court of Canada authority holding that — while in some circumstances a provincial court judge hearing a matter can find someone in contempt at that very proceeding — it is beyond the jurisdiction of a provincial court judge to refer a contempt proceeding to another judge of the same court.”

Superior courts, including the Court of King’s Bench in Alberta, have what lawyers call “inherent jurisdiction,” but provincial courts have limited powers governed exclusively by legislation, Penney said.

Related video: Alberta criminal defence lawyers stop taking new legal aid files in response to provincial dispute

View on Watch Duration 1:44

“According to the Alberta Court of Appeal, the law is clear that — at least as far as the Supreme Court of Canada is concerned — the proper route for dealing with contempt sanctions, where the judge who feels that there may be contempt does not want to rule on it himself or herself, is to refer it to a judge of the superior court.”

While much of the province had lifted masking measures at the time of the citation, Alberta courts continued to require face coverings in common areas and individual judges were left to decide whether or not lawyers were required to wear masks in courtrooms.

Judge Bruce Fraser, who presided over the contempt hearing in November, said at the time that Royal’s refusal to wear a mask was “willfully stubborn and disobedient” given that the lawyer also challenged Carminati by asking her “what are you going to do about that?”

However, Fraser was satisfied that Royal purged his contempt after the latter apologized for the trouble he caused and assured the court that sort of behaviour wouldn’t happen again.

Penney said the Court of Appeal’s decision was based purely on provincial court jurisdiction.

“The appeal does not say a single word about the merits of the decision, whether it was appropriate or inappropriate to find Mr. Royal in contempt,” he said.

Royal is married to Mary Moreau, the chief justice of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench who has been a proponent of masking, virtual court appearances and COVID-related courtroom remodels.

— With files from Jonny Wakefield

Law Society of Alberta conduct hearing for Tyler Shandro adjourned

Anna Junker - 

A Law Society of Alberta hearing into the conduct of Tyler Shandro while he was health minister has been adjourned to an unknown date.


Justice Minister Tyler Shandro.© Provided by Edmonton Journal

Shandro’s hearing into whether he broke the society’s code of conduct was scheduled for Oct. 17-19, stemming from incidents in 2020 when reports emerged he confronted a Calgary doctor in his driveway over a social media post , obtained personal phone numbers through Alberta Health Services to call at least one doctor , and emailed an individual who tried to contact a company operated by Shandro’s wife .

Now adjourned to an unspecified date, the hearing was called to investigate complaints about the three incidents during Shandro’s tenure as health minister, including one alleging he “behaved inappropriately by engaging in conduct that brings the reputation of the profession into disrepute.”

The change was posted on the Law Society’s website . Shandro, a lawyer, served as health minister from April 30, 2019, to Sept. 21, 2021, and immigration minister from that date until Feb. 25 of this year, when he was sworn into his current role as justice minister.

A statement emailed to Postmedia on behalf of Nancy Bains, tribunal counsel at the law society, indicates that either party involved in a hearing may request for an adjournment to the chair of the hearing committee and that the other party can consent to or contest the proposed change of date.

In deciding whether to grant an adjournment, the hearing committee may consider a number of factors, including but not limited to prejudice to any person affected by the delay; the timing of the request, prior requests, and adjournments previously granted; the public interest; the costs to the law society and the other participants of an adjournment; and the requirement for a fair hearing, the statement reads.

“Hearings may be adjourned to any other time or place, on any conditions the hearing committee may impose,” it reads. “In the interest of procedural fairness, it is not appropriate for us to comment any further. The reasons for the adjournment may be addressed in the hearing committee report issued after the hearing is held.”

The hearing will be rescheduled “as soon as practicable for all involved.”

ajunker@postmedia.com

The Life and Times of Tyler Shandro

Here is the making of a young Tory moving up in the world. The fellow is in charge of Ed Stemach's internet personality.

Domain name: EDSTELMACH.NET

Administrative Contact:
Stelmach, Ed
tshandro@wwclawyers.com
c/o 340, 999 - 8th St. SW
Calgary, AB T2R 1J5
CA
+1.4032445828

Domain name: EDSTELMACH.ORG

Registrant Contact Information:
Name: Ed Stelmach
Organization: PCAA
Address 1: c/o 340, 999 - 8th St. SW
City: Calgary
State: AB
Zip: T2R1J5
Country: CA
Phone: +1.4032445828
Email: tshandro@wwclawyers.com

And he is suing daveberta for using edstelmach.ca

Tyler practices primarily in the area of Family Law and assists clients in both the Calgary and Okotoks offices. In addition to his experience in Family Law, Tyler has been appointed by the Solicitor General to sit on the Criminal Injuries Review Board. Tyler grew up in Calgary and is very active in the community. He is a member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System, a ski instructor, scuba diver and Divemaster. He is also a member of the Flames Ambassadors and a volunteer for the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede as a member of the Promotion Committee. Tyler graduated from the University of Calgary and has been admitted to both the Alberta and BC bars.

Hey wait a minute he is practicing Family Law not Litigation law.

He is using his position with his firm to do private practice on behalf of the PC Association of which he is an Executive member as Regional Director Calgary West/Centre.

As I said before this is a conflict of interest.

He is also on the Board of Directors of the Federal Conservative, Calgary Centre Association.

Last fall he was campaign manager for Calgary Ward 8 alderman John Mar a former cop and Tory.

And like many Tories he shares in the largese of the one party state.

ALBERTA CRIMINAL INJURIES REVIEW BOARD

BOARD MEMBER PROFILES

Tyler Shandro holds a B.A. and LL.B. from the University of Calgary and articled with McLeod &Co. LLP of Calgary. He was called to the Alberta Bar on June 30, 2005. Mr. Shandro has volunteered with several community organizations including the Canadian Ski Patrol and the Calgary Flames Ambassadors Group. His post-secondary involvement was extensive and included holding the chair of the articling committee, chair of the career day committee, and editor of the Alberta Law Review, Petroleum Edition.

The Mental Health Act of Alberta
A Guide for Consumers and Caregivers

The Canadian Mental Health Association wishes to acknowledgement and thanks all those who have worked on the development of this edition of the brochure.
Special thanks to: Tyler Shandro of the Pro Bono Students’ Association at the Calgary Faculty of Law

In 2004 he was the production manager for the independent film My Most Difficult Case. Which is rather prophetic.

And if I were him I would be as worried about this page www.tylershandro.com
as I would be edstemach.ca

Getting into political hot water over blogs may come from his appreciation for diving.

U/AB: Bill, please tell our Alberta Divers a bit
about yourself & why you decided to publish a
new dive guide: “Diving in Southern Alberta “
Bill Hall : Its something I always wanted to do
but didn't find the time until my sons were old
enough & expressed an interest as well. The
three of us learned to dive together. I have
been diving for about 15 years. I am now a
certified and active PADI Master Instructor &
have been teaching for about seven years. I
also hold a number of technical certifications
with IANTD. The idea to write this book
was suggested to me by
one of my Divemaster students,
Tyler Shandro,
who was writing a
guide book about hiking in the Rockies &
thought somebody should do something similar
for dive sites. The idea appealed to me
because I saw the potential to promote local
diving, to be a useful teaching aid & mostly
because I knew that it would be fun to do. I had
written a number of technical journals in the
past so I was comfortable with the work involved.
And of course photographing the dive
sites wasn't work at all.

Gee I wonder if Tyler abandoned that book on the Rockies in favour of political opportunism and carreerism. After all hiking up the party hierarchy is not much different than hiking the Rockies.


Skeletons In the Closet

While at the U of C Tyler was the President of the U of C Atheist Club and a 'left wing' columnist for the Gauntlet as well as one of their photographers. His column denouncing Christmas raised quite a few hackles.

The University of Calgary is holding "The Truth is out there," a spiritual perspectives week, from Jan. 24-29, 2000.

Not every student on campus is interested in spirituality.

"Why a whole week?" said Atheist Students' Club President Tyler Shandro. "At the end of the week, does everyone just go dead inside?"

Oh dear might not want to let your social conservative pals in the PC's know about this little youthful peccadillo.

SEE:

Craig Chandler Bids For Ed's Domain

Hey Ed Your Domain Is Available

My Name Is Ed


ags
Ed Stelmach, internet, blog, daveberta, Dave Cournoyer , edstelmach.ca, Tyler Shandro,

 

Rachel Notley is calling on the UCP government to devise a plan to prevent hospital staffing shortages and bed closures as some rural hospitals have had to periodically close or go without ER doctors.

‘Critical staffing shortages in hospitals across Alberta’: Notley

By Emily Mertz Global News
Posted July 19, 2021 3
 

Several Alberta hospitals have been dealing with staffing shortages in their emergency departments, including three of Edmonton’s busiest EDs.

On Friday, Alberta Health Services confirmed 18 treatment beds at the Royal Alexandra Hospital’s emergency department were temporarily closed “due to short-term staffing coverage issues.”

Twelve of those beds were closed for just four hours, AHS said.

“There was no reduction in care for patients in the emergency department during those four hours and EMS was not diverted to avoid the Royal Alexandra Hospital.”


READ MORE: Nurse shortages lead to emergency room bed closures in Alberta: doctor, union

Opposition NDP leader Rachel Notley said Monday that bed closures due to staffing pressures aren’t isolated to the Royal Alex.

“Over the past weeks, we have seen critical staffing shortages in hospitals across Alberta.”

“This has led to bed closures and cancelled surgeries and repeated emergency room closures in the communities of Edson, St. Paul, Boyle, Elk Point, Galahad, Westlock, Fairview, Rocky Mountain House, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, High Prairie, Slave Lake, Wainwright, Rimbey and Lacombe.

“Here in Edmonton, at the Royal Alex, one of the busiest emergency departments in western Canada, they had to close 18 beds, nearly half its capacity, because there aren’t enough front-line health-care workers to operate safely.”

1:46Alberta health-care support staff presented with 4% wage cut

“Over the weekend, we learned that another of Edmonton’s busiest hospitals, the Grey Nuns, will be periodically closing its endoscopy unit over the next few weeks and transporting emergency patients who need that service when the unit is closed, to other hospitals,” Notley said.

Covenant Health confirmed the endoscopy unit at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital “will operate at 80 per cent outpatient capacity” for the next two weeks “as a result of staffing coverage issues due to pre-approved staff vacations and unexpected absences for non-COVID-related medical concerns.

“No other departments within the Grey Nuns are facing service impacts of this nature.”

AHS said 11 spaces at the University of Alberta Hospital emergency department were closed for 12 hours overnight and reopened at 8 a.m. Monday.

AHS said the ED remained open “for all patients needing emergency care as usual,” “there was no reduction in care for patients in the emergency department” and “EMS was not diverted to avoid the UAH and Stollery.”


READ MORE: ‘Burnout is real’: COVID-19 pandemic takes mental health toll on health-care workers

AHS issued two notices on Friday, advising of two other staffing shortages.

There will be no physician overnight (from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily) at the St. Theresa General Hospital emergency department in Fort Vermillion from July 19 to July 31, AHS said. Nursing staff will provide assessments and triage patients in the ED and refer them to the Northwest Health Centre in High Level, if needed. EMS calls will be re-routed to the Northwest Health Centre (81 kilometres away) during this time.

Also, the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre in McLennan was without an on-site emergency department physician over the weekend, AHS said. EMS calls were re-routed to High Prairie Health Complex (50 km away), Peace River Community Health Centre (80 km away) or Valleyview Healthcare Centre (90 km away), AHS said.

“This is a dangerous situation,” Notley said.

“The closures are happening because people are leaving.”

She slammed the UCP’s plan to cut Alberta nurses’ salaries, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it “disrespectful, demoralizing and damaging.”

READ MORE: Alberta nurses call government-proposed 3% salary rollback ‘a kick to the gut’

The opposition leader said the premier and health minister need to keep hospitals open and “abandon these plans to cut the wages of the Albertans who work in them.”

Notley said in other regions, bonuses are being used to encourage health-care workers to stay on and keep working. In Alberta, however, they’re looking at long-term salary rollbacks, she said.

2:04 Facing COVID-19 staffing crunch, hospitals offer cash bonuses to new nurses – Jun 16, 2021

“These folks who work in health care have gone through career-level high marks for stress and anxiety and emergency,” Notley added.

“Having gone through that, it’s shocking that their reward is to be told they’ll earn less afterward.”

Health Minister Tyler Shandro said the NDP continues to politicize issues, “lie about our response to the pandemic” and “what’s happening in the province.”

“That’s their track record,” he said at a news conference Monday.

READ MORE: Health care job vacancies in Canada are soaring despite COVID-19 demand. Here’s why

Shandro said AHS has done great work dealing with the pressures exacerbated by the pandemic.

“AHS has done an amazing job in being able to make sure resources are deployed, to make sure people are getting the critical care they need, surgeries are happening… They’ve done an amazing job acting dynamically as the situation changes across the province,” the health minister said.

2:08 COVID-19 claims life of Calgary health-care worker who friends say ‘died a hero’ – Jan 5, 2021

In a statement to Global News Monday, AHS spokesperson James Wood said “any Albertan who is in need of acute care will get care.”

Wood said changes to service aren’t new and it is common for resources to be adjusted, especially in the summer, to align with staffing levels.

“Temporary bed closures are only done as a last resort and we work to ensure patients continue to receive safe, high-quality care.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact through staff redeployment and a depletion of the available pool of casual staff, which is being seen across Canada.”

AHS also said the staffing shortages are due to vacation time being taken by staff who worked extremely hard over the last 17 months.

“Staff are taking well-deserved vacation time and we thank them for their incredible efforts through the waves of the pandemic in Alberta to date.”

Recruitment efforts continue, Wood said.


“AHS is working on recruitment plans that are targeted to fill current vacancies by the end of August and September.

“AHS continues to aggressively recruit physicians for rural areas. New physicians have recently been recruited in McLennan, Falher, Valleyview, Barrhead, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Cold Lake and St. Paul.”

2:00 NDP accuse health minister of lying about how many doctors were planning to leave Alberta – Oct 1, 2020

While staffing challenges were expected, Alberta has worked hard to recruit health-care workers to the province, Shandro said.

“We have 1,000 more nurses than we had a year ago, so we are recruiting more.”

“We have net — month over month, quarter over quarter, year over year — more positions, more nurses because we continue to show not just the rest of the country but the rest of the world that Alberta is an amazing place not just to come to work and serve residents in your profession but also a great place to raise your children.”

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Shandro says NDP exaggerating health-care shortages, Notley calls bed closures 'very real'


Adam Lachacz

CTVNewsEdmonton.ca 

Digital Journalist

Published Monday, July 19, 2021

Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro speaks at a press conference in Calgary on May 29, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh


EDMONTON -- The minister of health in Alberta says the NDP is “lying” and exaggerating claims about shortages in health-care staff in the province leading to temporary service level reductions.

Tyler Shandro was asked by reporters about staffing shortages at health-care facilities across the province at a media availability Monday.

Multiple hospitals across the province have faced bed closures and staff shortages. Earlier this month the Royal Alexandra hospital – the largest in Edmonton – closed six beds in their emergency room.

On Friday, another 12 beds were closed at that facility until receiving morning staff relief.

Additionally, Fort Vermillion’s St. Theresa General Hospital emergency department announced on Friday that it would have no overnight physician coverage temporarily until the end of the month.

McLennan’s Sacred Heart Community Health Centre had limited physician coverage over the past weekend.

On Saturday, the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton reduced nurse service levels at their endoscopy unit due to “unforeseen medical leaves of several staff in rapid succession.”

The minister maintained on Monday that staffing reductions are temporary and that they are resulting from residual pressure from the COVID-19 pandemic and seasonal vacations.

“I understand the NDP are going to – as they’ve done for the last year and a half – hypercriticize issues and quite frankly lie,” Shandro said, “about our response to the pandemic and lying about what is actually happening in the province.

“AHS has done an amazing job in being able to make sure that resources are deployed, and to make sure that people get critical care that they need throughout the province,” he added. “Surgeries are happening as they need throughout the province. They’ve done an amazing job acting dynamically as the situation changes throughout the province.”

When asked if Alberta is attracting health care workers to the province, Shandro said recruitment targets were being met.

“We have a thousand more nurses than we had a year ago,” he said. “We are recruiting more. Month over month, quarter for quarter, year over year, we have more physicians, more nurses because we continue to show Alberta is a great place to live.

“Everybody wants to come to Alberta because it is an amazing place to live.”

BED CLOSURES ARE 'VERY REAL': NDP

Rachel Notley told CTV News Edmonton in a statement that the bed closures and staff reductions are "very real."

“These bed closures are publicly reported by AHS," she said. "They are very real, and they are putting Albertans at risk. It’s disgraceful that Tyler Shandro continues to gaslight Albertans and refuse to accept responsibility for his ongoing failures as Health Minister.”

Notley added that the health-care staff shortages are creating a “dangerous situation.”

“We have repeatedly called on Tyler Shandro to take action, but all he has offered Albertans is excuses and finger-pointing,” the leader of the official opposition said. “Let’s be clear: we are here because Jason Kenney acted last and acted least in the second and third waves."

Notley called on Shandro to create a plan to keep Alberta’s hospitals open, without reductions in service.

“Our healthcare heroes are burnt-out and patients who are arriving much sicker than before because their conditions have been left unaddressed for a year and a half.”

Alberta legal aid lawyers threaten job action over 'perpetual funding neglect'

Jonny Wakefield - Yesterday 
Edmonton Journal

Alberta lawyers who represent low income clients are threatening to walk off the job over what they call “perpetual funding neglect” of Legal Aid Alberta.


On Saturday, three organizations representing criminal defence lawyers across Alberta issued an ultimatum to Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, saying they will withdraw from legal aid without an infusion of new funding.

On Saturday, three organizations representing criminal defence lawyers across Alberta issued an ultimatum to Justice Minister Tyler Shandro, months after Crown prosecutors made similar demands for additional funding

“The most minimal provision of legal aid services in Alberta is at a breaking point,” states the news release. “While we are prepared to collaborate with other stakeholders to solve this crisis, our cooperation is contingent upon a meaningful commitment by the government to adequately fund Legal Aid Alberta now.

“To ensure the government understands the immediacy of this crisis and the importance of this funding, our organizations are taking steps towards job action.”

The release is signed by the Edmonton-based Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association (CTLA), Calgary’s Criminal Defence Lawyers’ Association and the Southern Alberta Defence Lawyers’ Association.

Unlike the public defender system in the United States, defence lawyers in Alberta are not employed directly by the government . Rather, they are paid to represent low-income clients through Legal Aid Alberta, an arm’s length organization that receives funding from the federal and provincial governments, as well as from interest earned on their trust accounts.

In July, the three lawyers’ associations sent Shandro letters asking for more funding for the legal aid system, which they say pays about 40 per cent less than legal aid in other provinces.

They are also asking government to revamp the financial eligibility guidelines for legal aid. CTLA president Danielle Boisvert said that in some cases, people on AISH and those making as little as $25,000 a year do not qualify for the program.

“The government must take immediate action regarding the (Legal Aid Alberta) budget,” Boisvert said in her letter to Shandro, noting the government reported a $3.9 billion surplus last fiscal year. “The need is urgent. The time is now. The money is in the coffers.”

The lawyers’ groups added that without more funding, defence lawyers will continue to leave for other provinces or the Crown’s office, hurting the constitutional rights of low-income Albertans and creating a less efficient system.

“The quality of legal services will deteriorate, and the risk of wrongful convictions will grow,” they wrote. “Which means more appeals, more re-trials, more victims returning to court, more waste of precious court time, and more Jordan stays of serious prosecutions.”

The three associations said they did not hear back from Shandro by their July 29 deadline, and that they will meet Wednesday about withdrawing their services from Legal Aid Alberta.

Boisvert said defence lawyers operate as small businesses, and the associations, which are not unions, cannot compel their members to refuse legal aid work.

However, “all of us understand that something needs to be done now, and lawyers are much more willing to act collectively now than ever before,” she said. “I think … we’re going to have almost unanimous support for whatever we decide to do going forward, but unfortunately I can’t say we represent 100 per cent of the defence lawyers on the legal aid roster.”


Judge’s bench at the Edmonton Law Courts Building. File photo.

The threat of job action comes four months after Crown prosecutors made similar demands of the government, saying they were among the lowest paid in the country and that experienced lawyers were leaving as a result.

In April, the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association threatened job action, which led the province to bump up their pay ahead of negotiations on a new agreement.

The government also recently added funding for four additional judges on the Alberta provincial court. In an interview, Boisvert compared the justice system to a stool, with the judges, the Crown and the defence as each of its three legs.

“The government has infused a lot of money into the judiciary,” she said. “They’ve now infused a lot of money into the prosecution services. So two of those legs have been propped up, and the other one has been left shortchanged.”

She said funding for legal aid is an access to justice issue.

“When the public cannot access justice to begin with, and the justice they can access is subpar because of an underfunded legal aid system, then the justice they do get is not going to be quality justice.”

In an email, Shandro press secretary Joseph Dow said “contrary to what has been suggested,” the government “is willing to consider” increasing the legal aid operating budget and expanding eligibility for the program.

He said a review of the system is underway to make the billing and fee system less cumbersome. Any changes to Alberta’s contribution to Legal Aid Alberta “must be done after the current review is complete and must be done through the development of the 2023 budget,” Dow said.


jwakefield@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jonnywakefield

Legal aid lawyers reach breaking point, request more funding from province

Meaghan Archer and Craig Momney - Yesterday

Global News

Legal aid has reached a breaking point and Alberta defense lawyers are looking to the province for more funding.


The Law Courts in Edmonton, Alberta. Summer 2014.

Alberta’s legal aid program has been underfunded for years, said Ian Savage, the president of the Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.

“Every now and then we try and get the government’s attention to the crisis and they put some money towards it on a band-aid type solution,” he said.

According to Savage, in 2018, a four-year provincial funding agreement was put in place with Rachel Notley’s NDP government. However, that funding decreased starting in 2020.

In May of this year, the province gave Legal Aid Alberta the green light to modernize its lawyer-building framework. But lawyers are saying that if there’s no money, then there’s no sense in the project.

Read more:
Edmonton court mixes law with psychology to find ‘meaningful resolutions’ for at-risk Albertans

“What legal aid has been given or not been given in terms of what it can work with to revamp the tariffs, as a whole, puts legal aid in a position where it can only do so much,” said Danielle Boisvert, a criminal defense lawyer in Edmonton and the president of the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association.

Legal Aid Alberta is trying to pay lawyers for longer trials, said Boisvert, but that means taking away money from smaller files which make up about 70 per cent of cases the defense lawyers take on.


“If you’re getting paid less on each file, what are you going to do if you’re going to keep working in this industry as a defense lawyer for legal aid? What you need to do is take on more files.”

This approach, however, is causing burnout amongst lawyers trying to make a living.

Last month, three senior lawyers, including Savage and Boisvert, wrote letters to minister of justice and solicitor general Tyler Shandro about the issue. They asked him to respond by July 29 or they would consider job action.

There has not yet been a response from Shandro.

Read more:
A ‘broken’ system: Canadians can’t afford lawyers but don’t qualify for legal aid

“When a person who is a lawyer cannot be bothered to even respond in writing or with a telephone call to three senior lawyers representing hundreds of other lawyers across the province who are telling him – point blank – that he needs to act… that is very sad… and a shameful state of affairs,” said Savage.

According to Mount Royal analyst Lori Williams, the situation mirrors what Alberta prosecutors have recently raised. And any job action could have implications on the already-stretched judicial system.

“If the trials are delayed because of shortages of prosecutors or defense lawyers, then they can actually exceed time limits and wind up having the cases dismissed,” Williams explained.

The issue could play a major political role, she added.

“Rural crime has been an issue for some time now. If it looks like those who are trying to defend rural Albertans or trying to support them in their needs or so forth are falling short, that could have implications not just for the leadership race but for the next election.”

The three lawyer organizations will meet on Wednesday to discuss next steps, including job action.

Global News has reached out to Tyler Shandro for comment but had not heard back at the time of publishing.

Alberta NDP call for public inquiry into government's handling of pandemic as Shandro agrees to release report

Author of the article: Ashley Joannou

Publishing date:Aug 03, 2021

NDP deputy leader Sarah Hoffman, left, at a press conference in Edmonton on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. PHOTO BY GREG SOUTHAM/POSTMEDIA

The Alberta NDP is calling for a public inquiry into the UCP government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying Albertans deserve an arm’s-length and open look into the effectiveness of the decisions that were made.

At a Tuesday press conference, NDP deputy leader Sarah Hoffman said an independent review led by a retired judge and modelled after the Walkerton inquiry into contaminated drinking water in Ontario is necessary to look into the Alberta government’s recent decision to end isolation requirements, contact tracing and asymptomatic testing even as cases climb in the province.

She said it’s clear that Albertans can no longer trust their own government to keep them safe.

“A full public inquiry is necessary because it allows Albertans to understand what happened over the course of this pandemic and to plan for the future, so we don’t make the same deadly decisions again when we face another pandemic or another public emergency.”

The proposed inquiry would also look at the effectiveness of the government’s public health restrictions, contact tracing, modelling and public communication, Hoffman said.

It would also look into the circumstances that caused deaths in continuing-care facilities and a large number of cases at meat-packing plants.

The opposition has promised to hold its own inquiry if it becomes government next election.

The call came after Postmedia reported over the weekend that the government would not be releasing its third-party review into the pandemic’s first wave, with Alberta Health saying the information “was not particularly relevant to the evolving situation.”

Health Minister Tyler Shandro reversed course Tuesday morning, agreeing to release the report this week. He tweeted that the report in question would have been considered for release together with future reviews of the entire pandemic response.

“Given the interest in the report, the full report will be posted earlier than planned in the interest of full transparency,” he said.

In an email Tuesday, Premier Jason Kenney’s deputy press secretary Harrison Fleming accused the NDP of attacking the credibility of chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw and seeking a “witch hunt.”

“The NDP’s only objective is to politicize the pandemic with witch hunts that would stretch out for months, even years,” he said.

“What the NDP wants is a backward-looking, political circus that serves nobody. We’re focused on moving on from COVID, rebuilding the economy, and creating jobs and opportunities for all Albertans.”

The government has faced heavy criticism since announcing its plans to remove most COVID-19 protocols. The move has been questioned by the Alberta Medical Association, the Canadian Pediatric Society and five consecutive days of protests including outside the legislature in Edmonton.

Long-awaited report into Alberta COVID-19 response to be released this week: Shandro

By Kirby Bourne 630CHED
Posted August 3, 2021 

WATCH: With Alberta phasing out pandemic protocols despite a resurgence in COVID-19, concerns are growing about a fourth wave and the consequences for the rest of Canada.

A long-awaited third-party report into Alberta’s handling of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will be released “later this week,” Tyler Shandro tweeted Tuesday morning.

Alberta’s health minister made the comments after media reports that the report wouldn’t be released.

“The media response to the reporter said the interim report only reflected the pandemic response to the first wave,” Shandro tweeted.

“The report would be considered for release together with future reviews of the entire pandemic response.


“Given the interest in the report, the full report will be posted earlier than planned in the interest of full transparency.”

Earlier Tuesday, Opposition leader Rachel Notley called on the government in question period to release the report.

“To the premier: where is it?” she asked.

“This report belongs to Albertans and they deserve to see just how badly Jason Kenney mismanaged the pandemic response from Day 1, and how badly they continue to mismanage this response today,” NDP deputy leader and health critic Sarah Hoffman said at a news conference.

Calgary doctors push back against Alberta lifting quarantine rules, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing

But the Official Opposition says releasing the report now is too little too late and is calling for a full public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic.

“Enough is enough,” Hoffman said.

“This is more than a broken promise from Tyler Shandro. This is evidence of a corrupt and secretive government working to deceive the public.”

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Third-party review of Alberta COVID-19 response expected in early 2021

“This government has had an issue with transparency throughout the pandemic,” Dr. Joe Vipond, an ER doctor from Calgary, said while attending a rally outside the legislature Tuesday.

“You don’t know and I don’t know how many people have gotten sick in hospital. You and I don’t know how many people have died from in-hospital-derived infections. We don’t know if there have been assessments of provincial buildings or schools or hospitals to ensure that there’s no airborne transmission. In fact, they won’t even say the words ‘airborne transmission,’ anybody in the government, including our chief medical officer of health.

“We need more transparency from the top to the bottom, including that report.”

The NDP is calling for a public inquiry — led by a retired judge — into the UCP government’s handling of the entire COVID-19 pandemic.

Hoffman went so far as to promise the inquiry will still be done if the NDP wins the next provincial election.

Paramedic says AHS’ COVID-19 rule changes put him and colleagues at risk

Hoffman didn’t have a time or cost estimate for how long an inquiry of this nature would take, but she said that it is “absolutely necessary,” and that it would take longer and cost more “the more they (the UCP) delay.”

“Minister Shandro has committed to releasing the independent first wave report this week and we will continue to review our pandemic response measures,” a statement from Alberta Health to 630 CHED said. “And of course Alberta Health officials will be conducting a fulsome review of the province’s total response.

“However, let’s be clear, the NDP have no real interest in improving anything,” communications advisor Brett Boyden said. “They continue to ignore that the pandemic is global in nature.


“The NDP’s only objective is to politicize the pandemic with witch hunts that would stretch out for months, even years. What the NDP wants is a backward-looking, political circus that serves nobody.”

The $475,000 review was awarded to KPMG last August. The government had originally said it hoped the report would be released in late 2020.

Late last year, that timeline was changed to sometime in early 2021.

In March, Shandro said it was his understanding the authors of the report had completed the first draft.

According to a news release when the review was announced, the province said it would “enhance Alberta’s capacity to respond to a potential second wave of COVID-19 and any future pandemics,” and added that a “strong, coordinated response can help save lives, prevent wide-scale spread of disease and help jobs and the economy bounce back more quickly.”

–with a file from Adam MacVicar, Global News

Health minister shrugs off demand for real-time tracking of Alberta medical staff shortages


Health Minister Tyler Shandro responded to the NDP’s demand for real-time tracking of bed closures in Alberta hospitals Wednesday by accusing the Opposition of playing political games.

© Provided by Edmonton Journal Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro.

Lisa Johnson 
lijohnson@postmedia.com

When asked if the province would commit to the real-time reporting amid a shortage of health-care staff that’s led to temporary closures, Shandro accused the NDP of lying about the extent of the province’s challenges.

“They told us that the doctors were fleeing the province, they attacked our contingency plans when it came to field hospitals, they told Albertans that we were firing nurses during the pandemic — they were all complete lies and the NDP are again abject and complete liars,” said Shandro at an unrelated news conference, doubling down on similar comments he made Monday.

Shandro called the NDP demand for public data a “ruse” that amounted to an attack on nurses, doctors and senior leaders at AHS for political gain.

Shandro has said the province is recruiting more health-care staff, including 1,000 more nurses over the last year, and Wednesday added there are 1,700 more registered nurses in the province now than in 2019, when the NDP was in government.

Staffing shortages have affected Edmonton facilities, including Royal Alexandra Hospital, which closed an additional 12 beds for four hours late last week on top of six beds that remain closed , and Grey Nuns Hospital, which will operate at 80 per cent outpatient capacity in its endoscopy unit for two weeks.

Covenant Health spokeswoman Karen Diaper said in a statement the reduction is the result of staffing coverage issues “due to pre-approved staff vacations and unexpected absences for non-COVID-related medical concerns.”

Video: Pediatric ER Crisis (Global News)

Elsewhere, the emergency department at St. Theresa General Hospital in Fort Vermilion will be without an overnight doctor until July 31, and this past weekend, the Sacred Heart Community Health Centre’s emergency department in McLennan was without a doctor for a total of 30 hours .

While Alberta Health Services tracks emergency room wait times and publishes them online , not all bed closures are announced publicly.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Albertans deserve to see the details of the challenges being faced within the health-care system so that leaders can be held to account for their efforts to fix them.

“We need the minister to stop gaslighting frontline workers, stop gaslighting Albertans and start taking his ministerial responsibility seriously. I get that it’s a big job, but you do not earn trust by pretending the problem doesn’t exist,” said Notley.

She added similar challenges, sparked in part by burnout from the COVID-19 pandemic, are happening across the country, but the UCP government’s bargaining proposals for wage cuts for health-care workers are exacerbating the problem in Alberta.

“This burnout is being made even worse by the utter lack of respect this government has shown for the sacrifices of these Albertans,” said Notley.

The NDP has noted that over the past two months, bed closures and ER shutdowns have also been reported at hospitals in Edson, St. Paul, Boyle, Elk Point, Galahad, Westlock, Fairview, Rocky Mountain House, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, High Prairie, Slave Lake, Wainwright, Rimbey, Barrhead and Lacombe.