Smith announced Wednesday sweeping changes to dismantle Alberta Health Services

"It almost seems like change purely for the sake of change."

EDMONTON — Premier Danielle Smith says Alberta's provincewide health provider has lost its way, grown too big and become unaccountable, and that a massive reorganization can no longer wait.

Smith announced Wednesday sweeping changes to dismantle Alberta Health Services, reducing it to one of four new service delivery organizations, all reporting directly to Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.

"This isn't change for the sake of change," Smith said Wednesday at a news conference near the legislature.

"The current Alberta health-care system is one that has forgotten who should be at the centre of its existence — patients and the health-care experts who look after them."

She said some improvements have been made on finding family doctors and reducing wait times for care and surgeries, but added it's not enough and her government needs the legislative tools to make changes.

"The current health system in our province limits government's ability to provide systemwide oversight," she said.

"It also limits our ability to set priorities and require accountability for meeting them."

The transformation is to take up to two years, and while Smith says front-line health jobs will be protected, "you're going to see a process of streamlining in the management layers.

Alberta Health Services, or AHS, was created 15 years ago, amalgamating disparate health regions into one superboard tasked with centralizing decision-making, patient care and procurement.

Its annual operating budget is about $17 billion. It has 112,000 direct employees with thousands more working in labs, as physicians, and in community care facilities.

Under the proposed new system, Alberta will still have an integrated provincewide health system but with its fundamental structure and decision-making drastically altered.

AHS currently acts as an arm's-length body, with its own governing board, making decisions to implement policies set by LaGrange's Health Ministry.

Under the changes, all decisions will be squarely in the purview of LaGrange and the new oversight body she will chair, named the Integration Council.

AHS is currently subdivided into five geographic regions. The new model erases the geographic regions and creates four new subgroups organized not by geography, but by service delivery.

There will be a new acute care organization, responsible for running hospitals and, for the time being, lab and ambulance services.

AHS will become a service delivery provider answering to that organization.

Alongside the new acute care organization would be a primary care organization, with a mandate to find a family doctor for every Albertan.

There would be a continuing-care organization to oversee and run those facilities.

The fourth agency, a mental health and addiction organization, would work directly with the Mental Health and Addiction Ministry to further the broader goal of a recovery-oriented system.

All groups report to LaGrange or, in the case of the fourth group, to Mental Health and Addiction Minister Dan Williams.

Input and ideas are to be sought from 12 regional committees and one Indigenous advisory panel.

Smith said the rationale for the new model is to focus on the ultimate goal of reducing long wait times and overcrowding in emergency rooms.

Smith said ensuring Albertans get better and faster access to community care, to a family doctor, and to mental health and addiction treatment means they won't have to resort to the emergency room to get help.

"All roads lead to the emergency room," she said.

The details of the overhaul were leaked earlier this week by the Opposition NDP.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said the reorganization represents full politicization of health care concentrated in Smith's office.

She said it will bring chaos, because the four new groups will inevitably intersect and overlap.

Notley said the move also opens the door to further health privatization. The leaked cabinet briefing notes said the United Conservative Party government will look at selling off AHS continuing-care subsidiaries CapitalCare Group and Carewest.

During question period Wednesday, Smith said that information is out of date and they have since received advice that CapitalCare and Carewest should remain with the province.

“Every decision that we make is going to be under the auspices of a publicly funded health-care system,” Smith said.

“There'll be no privatizing.”

Health policy analyst Lorian Hardcastle said it's not clear how transforming the system into four service-delivery areas improves patient care.

Hardcastle said the whole point of having AHS was so patients could move smoothly between primary care to acute care to continuing care.

"This system that is being implemented will not facilitate this," said Hardcastle, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary specializing in health law and policy.

"What it's going to do is put the services back into silos, and it's not clear how this won't impede that smooth facilitation of patients and how we won't see patients fall through the cracks.

"It almost seems like change purely for the sake of change."

Dr. Paul Parks, president of the Alberta Medical Association, said, "While the details and impacts are unclear, what is clear is that physician engagement in each of these new organizations will be critical.

"The AMA will advocate for our voice at the decision-making tables."

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees called the plan short-sighted, disruptive and damaging.

"Nothing in these reforms addresses the short-staffing crisis and it might even drive more workers away from the front lines and hinder attracting new workers," said AUPE president Guy Smith.

"The government's plan will only take things from bad to worse."

Heather Smith, president of the United Nurses of Alberta, said the changes fail to address urgent problems like wait-lists, surgery delays and ambulance bottlenecks.

"We have severe deficits in terms of people and capacity in our health-care system," she said, adding none of that was because of the structure of AHS.

"They've made the wrong diagnosis and absolutely prescribed the wrong treatment."

The premier's announcement ends simmering tensions between the province and AHS that exploded in full view during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former premier Jason Kenney said AHS provided faulty bed numbers that hamstrung his cabinet during the crisis. Danielle Smith sharply criticized AHS for not providing adequate beds during COVID-19, as well as for mask and gathering rules she said exacerbated social woes and led to staff shortages at AHS.

In the last two years, the UCP government has replaced AHS president Dr. Verna Yiu, replaced chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw and fired the AHS board.

LaGrange announced Wednesday that a new AHS board is to be chaired by former Alberta cabinet minister Lyle Oberg. It is tasked with winding down AHS operations and transitioning to its new mandate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2023.

— With files from Colette Derworiz in Calgary

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

David Staples: Big plans mean zilch if Danielle Smith fails to deliver on promise of better health care

Opinion by David Staples, Edmonton Journal • 1d

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith outlines how the province plans to refocus the health care system during a news conference in Edmonton on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023.
© Provided by Edmonton Journal

Premier Danielle Smith can have all the big plans in the world but they will mean zilch if she fails to deliver on the promise of better health care.

At the news conference announcing major changes in the operation of Alberta’s health care system, Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange did all they could to convince anxious Albertans worried about a hidden UCP agenda of privatization, job cuts and budget cuts and user pay to swallow a gargantuan chill pill.

“I want to be clear about what this plan isn’t and what it is not,” said Smith. “I made a public health care guarantee to Albertans that means no one will ever pay out of pocket for a visit to a doctor or for hospital services, and that is not changing. These reforms have nothing to do with privatization. They are also not about cuts. Alberta’s government will continue to grow the health care workforce.”

But what about the twin elephants in the room of any serious health care reform — rising costs and poor preventive medicine?

Our individual health and the system itself are threatened by ballooning costs of ever more numerous and expensive treatments and also by our lack of activity and diet of unhealthy processed foods, which can lead us to get major illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, stroke and heart attacks earlier in life.

Smith’s plan is focused first on the obvious crisis, how to lessen the tidal wave of patients overwhelming emergency rooms. But one key health care leader, Dr. Susan Prendergast, who has a Ph.D. in nursing and is president of the Nurse Practitioners Association of Alberta, said that in solving the emergency room crisis concerns over our collective deteriorating health will also be addressed.

Close to one million Albertans don’t have a primary care provider, which forces people to flood into emergency rooms, Prendergast told me in an interview.

But Prendergast said Smith’s government is bringing in a major fix, permitting nurse practitioners like her to open clinics on their own and independently provide primary care. A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse with years of field experience and a master’s degree in primary care who can essentially take on the role of family doctor.

There are 853 nurse practitioners registered in the province but they’ve only been allowed to be physician’s aids up until now, Prendergast said. Alberta is the last province to allow nurse practitioners to do what family doctors do.

“There’s an entire workforce that hasn’t been utilized up until now,” Prendergast said, adding the plan is to have 300 to 500 nurse practitioner clinics open in three years, each practitioner serving about 1,000 patients.

Prendergast praised Smith and LaGrange with pushing ahead the nurse practitioner program after years of political inaction. Prendergast said 96 per cent of nurse practitioners are women, and pointedly noted it helped having two women in power to approve the change. “It was a priority for (Smith) and she made sure we are where we are.”

Nurse practitioners are looking for equal pay for doing equal work of family physicians, but there will be one crucial difference. Nurse practitioners won’t be paid on the fee-for-service model, but will get a salary. This will allow them to spend more time with each patient and dig in and make changes to prevent poor health down the road, Prendergast said.

“The system of fee-for-service doesn’t allow primary caregivers to do that. It’s short, brief appointments. When you provide a funding model to a primary care provider that allows for flexibility in the time spent with the patient, they spend the time on lifestyle management. That is one thing nurse practitioners do extremely well. Every single appointment we’re talking about diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol use, drug use.”

It’s staggering when you deal with patients who have never been asked about their sleep patterns or how much and what kind of exercise they do. “They’ve been told they have high cholesterol but they’re given no support around addressing it, except a medication. And that’s unacceptable.”

The current model is also expensive for taxpayers as patients come in with multiple serious conditions. “It’s great to say that people should stay home (for home care) but the reality is they’re too sick to stay home. We’ve got to take a more preventive approach, otherwise nothing will improve.”

Again, the only thing that matters with Smith’s plan is better results. We shall see.

But the nurse practitioner part of the overall plan looks like it will work, helping us all get better so we delay getting woefully sick. It represents a crucial step in the right direction.

dstaples@postmedia.com

New bill would halt ethics investigations of politicians during Alberta election campaigns

Story by Paige Parsons • CBC

Alberta's ethics commissioner will suspend investigations into provincial politicians during future election periods if proposed legislation becomes law.

A bill tabled by Justice Minister Mickey Amery Thursday proposes updating several pieces of justice legislation, including a change that would suspend investigations by the ethics commissioner during the period leading up to a general election.

"Voters are entitled to proceed during an election without undue influence. These amendments help eliminate some of those influences," Amery said.

Amery said he doesn't believe the change will result in important information being kept back from voters because he says there are other mechanisms to keep governments accountable to the public.

The minister said the proposed change was prompted by a recommendation from Alberta ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler, who pointed to similar Ontario legislation that sees investigations paused from when the writs are issued for a general election until the polls close and the votes are counted.



Alberta Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler made a reccomendation that ethics investigations be suspended during election periods. (Alberta Legislature)© Provided by cbc.ca

Trussler recommended that the legislative assembly consider the change in her May 2023 report in which she found that Premier Danielle Smith had contravened the Conflicts of Interest Act during interactions with the minister of justice in relation to criminal charges faced by Calgary street preacher Artur Pawlowski.

"Not having such a provision puts the Ethics Commissioner and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in an extremely difficult position with respect to the timing and release of any report," Trussler wrote.

Her report was released on May 18, just 11 days before Alberta held its general election when Smith and the United Conservative Party went on to recapture a majority government.

Trussler's findings followed an investigation that began on March 31 after a member of the public asked if there were ongoing investigations into whether Smith pressured cabinet members or employees of the government in relation to the Coutts border blockade.

The complaint followed a January CBC news story about the premier's office contacting Crown prosecutors by email about COVID-related prosecutions.

Trussler wrote that she found no evidence of emails, and CBC has since updated its reporting.

'Doesn't add up'

The proposal to suspend ethics investigations during elections is puzzling, says University of British Columbia political scientist Max Cameron.

"It looks like the premier has got herself into trouble around conflict of interest and the solution is, well, we're not going to have conflict of interest investigations during an election," Cameron said.

"It just doesn't sort of seem to add up."

Cameron said he also thinks it's odd that the commissioner herself made the recommendation at the end of a report where an investigation during an election period ended up finding that a conflict of interest occurred.

He said that while it's important for ethics commissioners to be politically sensitive, they ought to be able to use discretion about whether or not it makes sense to proceed with an investigation or to release a report.

"You know elections are short, right? If you don't want to release a report in the middle of an election, you hold off on doing that. I just don't get that. It just seems, to me, very strange," Cameron said.

Earlier this week, a legislative committee voted to replace both Trussler and the province's chief electoral officer, Glen Resler. The standing committee on legislative officers voted to establish selection committees to replace each position.

Both non-partisan positions have contracts that expire in May 2024, and Amery said Thursday that Trussler is welcome to apply for the job again.

AUPE kicks-off annual convention with 2024 bargaining top of mind

Story by Cindy Tran • 

President Guy Smith speaks at the AUPE's 45th Annual Convention on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023 in Edmonton. Greg Southam-Postmedia© Provided by Edmonton Journal

More than 1,000 union members and activists are in Edmonton for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employee’s 46th annual convention ahead of next year’s bargaining negotiations.

The three-day convention kicked off Thursday morning at the Edmonton EXPO Centre with opening remarks from the president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Guy Smith, who said the show of solidarity and unity among members was inspiring and necessary as they prepare to head into negotiations in 2024.

Smith said more than 81,000 AUPE members will be entering negotiations with their employer in the new year and they already have their bargaining teams in place, but in the meantime the convention serves as a place where members and activists can voice their concerns and share what they want to see done.

“W hat’s unique about this is that regardless of what sector our members work in or who their employer is, t here are five or six main goals that impact everybody, including those around pay increases, dealing with staffing shortages, job security, benefits and supports for mental health,” said Smith.

“A lot of our members on the front lines, like most of the world, is suffering from increased mental health issues, and we believe that employers need to step up and recognize that and support our members.”

Related video: 'It's the only deal we're going to get:' Political panel reacts to event centre announcement (cbc.ca)   Duration 5:54  View on Watch

AUPE is the largest union in western Canada representing 95,000 employees in government, health care, education, boards and agencies and local government.

Smith called next year’s bargaining “historic,” due to the large size and number of members they have going into negotiations. He said the upcoming negotiations is a chance to make “serious gains” that were difficult in the previous round of bargaining, which took place during the pandemic.

“What we saw from all employers was rollbacks and concessions, and they may bring those to the table next year, too. But we are now historically much better prepared than we ever have been before.”

Throughout the next three days delegates will be electing a new executive committee including a president, secretary treasurer and six vice-presidents on top of ongoing discussions surrounding bargaining.

The convention is an open forum and a number of resolutions will be coming forward to amend the union’s constitution, said Smith.

“We’re looking for some good robust debate. Every voice is welcome to be heard and we’ll come to some decisions there, and obviously the big decision that delegates have to make is to elect the new executive committee.”



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5 Alberta LPNs’ fight to be classified as ‘direct nurses’ continues as some unions push back

Story by Destiny Meilleur • Yesterday 

A nurse prepares a vaccine. .© GAC

Agroup of five licensed practical nurses (LPNs) pushing to have their jobs reclassified as direct nurses is now waiting to hear from the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) on where their fight goes next.

LPNs for Change is the name of the group of nurses. The group's members are working to have their job classifications changed from auxiliary nurses to direct nurses.

Members of LPNs for Change along with union officials met with officials at the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) on Tuesday so the board could decide if there was enough information to move forward to set a hearing date to determine if LPNs should be reclassified as direct nurses.

The ALRB determined that it needs more responses and evidence in order to schedule a hearing date.

If the ALRB decides a hearing will be held, the hearing date will be determined after the unions that oppose the job reclassification have provided a list of written objections and the group of LPNs provides a written response to the unions.

Following the written responses, the ALRB will determine if the case will be dismissed or not.

LPNs for Change

LPNs for Change was formed in May 2022 when LPNs were asked to vote on their latest contracts by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).

LPNs for Change's members say their roles have changed drastically over the years and that they now provide direct care to patients.

Direct nurses provide bedside nursing and utilize the standard nursing process: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation.

The group submitted an application regarding the matter to the ALRB.

LPNs for Change said its application asks to reclassify the positions of 11,800 nurses from auxiliary nursing, a classification it considers similar to a health-care aide or a nurse's helper, to direct nursing.

“Why are we not with the rest of the nurses?” was the question that Ginny Wong said she asked herself when she helped form LPNs for Change. “LPNs have always been left behind in terms of what we really should be represented by and how we should be represented.

“People have started questioning whether or not we are in the right bargaining unit.”

The group says it wants to make it clear its members understand the difference between LPNs and registered nurses (RNs). It also notes its members have respect for RNs and in no way mean to diminish their jobs or position.

“We don't even expect to ever be paid as (RNs are),” said Quintin Martin, another co-founder of LPNs for Change. “We're doing this because we provide direct nursing and we have for a long time.

“We want to be recognized as direct nursing care.”

Wong said she believes reclassifying LPNs would provide those nurses with a much-needed confidence boost.

“With the reclassification, we can get the recognition and acknowledgment that we so deserve," she said. "So then we can build our confidence in saying, 'We're nurses (and) we are providing the direct nursing care because that's what we do day in and day out.

“We are so used to being the second-class (nurse) that we even say that ourselves. In nursing, confidence is really important. We have the skill, we have the education. (But) we need the confidence to properly perform our duty."

Unions weigh in on push for reclassification

A number of unions that operate in Alberta have made statements regarding the application, and in one case a union has asked for the application to be thrown out entirely.

The AUPE, which represents most LPNs in Alberta, issued a statement regarding the matter on May 31, saying it believes “the application is without merit, is doomed to fail and is a colossal waste of the resources.”

The union has asked the ALRB to dismiss the case.

The AUPE said the group that filed the application represents only a small number of nurses who do not or should not be speaking for all nurses.

“It is notable that the applicants here are only five LPNs,” the AUPE said. “They explicitly do not purport to speak on behalf of any other LPNs.

“It would be problematic to permit five individuals to upset long-established and stable bargaining units.”

The AUPE also questioned whether reclassifying LPNs would actually address concerns regarding morale and wages.

The United Steelworkers (USW) union said it agrees with the AUPE’s position.

"Our position is that this application is without merit,” the USW said in a written statement on June 9.

“There is no reasonable prospect the application will succeed and no basis for proceeding with full hearing."

However, the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) has said it agrees with the application and believes the nurses’ argument is valid.

“UNA believes LPNs clearly provide direct nursing care and belong in the ‘direct nursing’ bargaining unit, along with registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, who also provide direct nursing care,” the union said.

The UNA also said while it had no part in the application, it supports the movement and encourages the LPNs to keep pushing.

The UNA voicing its support for the group of LPNs has been met with criticism from others in the labour movement, who say they believe the UNA may be trying to bring members of other unions into its organization.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) says it has filed a complaint with the Canadian Labour Congress to voice its concerns.

The UNA said that these claims are untrue and that it did nothing wrong by submitting a letter voicing its support of the LPN group's application.

David Harrigan, the UNA's director of labour relations, said he finds it very odd that CUPE would even make such a claim.

"It's not terribly unusual to have little jurisdictional issues where one union says, you know, 'That person should be in my bargaining unit and not that bargaining unit,'" he said.

The UNA said its opinion has not changed since more than 10 years ago when it first attempted to reclassify a small group of LPNs and the ALRB dismissed its attempt.

The two biggest employers of LPNs in Alberta -- Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health -- have both decided to remain neutral on the matter.

What’s next?

The AUPE is holding telephone town halls for its members later this week to have a "conversation about (LPNs) and the important work (they) do."

The AUPE and the other objecting unions have until mid-August to provide written reason as to why the application should be dismissed.

The LPNs will then have two weeks to provide written responses to the arguments for dismissal.

The ALRB will then make a decision on whether there will be a hearing or if the case will be dismissed.

LPNs for Change is asking Alberta LPNs to send the group a list of what tasks they complete in their jobs. LPNs for Change also wants RNs and patients who believe LPNs' jobs involve direct nursing to send letters to the group explaining what LPNs do.

If there is a hearing to determine if the LPNs will be reclassified as direct nurses, LPNs for Change said it suspects that would take place sometime in the fall.

If the reclassification application is successful, LPNs for Change said LPNs would have three options: stay in the AUPE, be moved to the UNA or a new union would be formed -- a decision that would be based on a vote of all Alberta LPNs.

Harrigan said he believes it is very unlikely the LPNs would form their own union.

"I expect if they're reclassified, there would then be a vote of all of the nurses: the RNs, RPNs (registered psychiatric nurses) and the LPNs," he said. "And there would likely be a vote to see for that group who they wanted as their union."

Video: UCP changes regulations so Alberta LPNs can do more

ALBERTA

Health unions keep up call for 'collective' meeting with health minister

Story by Madeline Smith • Sunday, Nov. 27,2022 - Edmonton Journal

The president of the union representing Alberta nurses says despite speaking with government officials separately, labour groups for health workers have yet to have the “collective” meeting they want as the health-care system strains under pressure again.


United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) president Heather Smith takes part in a news conference where Alberta's health-care unions advocated that the government take steps to fully address the staffing crisis in health care on Oct. 24, 2022.

Shortly after Premier Danielle Smith’s new cabinet was sworn in last month, the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) came together to “insist” on meeting with the health minister to talk about improving the health-care system.

When the government announced just a few weeks later that the Alberta Health Services board would be dismantled and replaced with a single official administrator, Smith said she and Health Minister Jason Copping had just spoken with AUPE, HSAA and UNA leaders.

Related

Alberta unions 'insist' on meeting with health minister on health care overhaul

AHS board dismantled as Dr. John Cowell named new administrator

The premier said the major shift in AHS management is aimed at accelerating change that will ease the current burden on the health system and help the burned-out front line.

“We’re doing all of this to be able to support them, create a better working environment to make sure that they feel valued,” she said.

“They know that we know what the solutions are. They want us to work on them,” she said, adding the province intends to take a consultative approach.

Related video: Provinces call on Ottawa for more health-care funding

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UNA president Heather Smith confirmed she spoke with the premier and health minister ahead of the AHS administrator announcement, but said Saturday it wasn’t the type of meeting unions have requested.

She still thinks a broader discussion is warranted because “the deficits here in the province are clearly across the entire continuum of workers.”

The November meeting provided advance notice about the decision to change the AHS leadership structure, a move that the UNA leader said comes with its own challenges.

“The announcement of the elimination of the board and subsequent comments in terms of AHS and getting rid of managers — it’s rather unfortunate,” Smith said.

“It causes a great deal of uncertainty at higher levels of the organization, but uncertainty in terms of what that means on the ground as well.”

HSAA president Mike Parker, who represents numerous health workers including paramedics, issued his own statement raising concern about the possibility of “organizational chaos” in health care, while AUPE’s Guy Smith added workers need stability, “not the chaos that could result from a change in administration and direction.”

But the groups said they’re encouraged to hear the premier and health minister talk about the need to address staffing shortages. New administrator Dr. John Cowell has been told to focus on decreasing wait times in emergency rooms and for surgeries, improving EMS response times and consulting with front-line workers on reforms.

The HSAA’s Parker said his message to the premier was the need for direct support for health workers.

“The premier says we have entered the ‘action phase’ of reforming health care,” he said.

“That means overcoming staffing shortages and improving working conditions so we can care for Albertans.”

Supreme Court won't hear Alberta union's constitutional challenge of Bill 

Thu, August 4, 2022

AUPE asked the Supreme Court for leave to appeal the ruling. The court declined without providing reasons why, as it does in all of its leave to appeal denials. \(Michel Aspirot/CBC - image credit)

The Supreme Court of Canada has decided not to hear an appeal of a decision on the constitutionality of the United Conservative Party government's Critical Infrastructure Defence Act.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees challenged the law, also known as Bill 1, after it came into force in June 2020.

AUPE argued the law is unconstitutional as it would prohibit picketing of what the government deemed "essential infrastructure" during labour disputes and hurt its ability to engage in collective bargaining.

The union wanted the court to declare Bill 1 unconstitutional.

In December, the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the AUPE's claim, ruling that the union had no standing in the case because none of its members have been charged under the act. The court said AUPE was basing its arguments on "hypothetical" situations.

AUPE asked the Supreme Court for leave to appeal the ruling. The court declined without providing reasons why, as it does in all of its leave to appeal denials. The Alberta Court of Appeal decision stands.

Eric Adams, a law professor at the University of Alberta, wasn't surprised the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

"For a legal challenge to fully come before the courts, you need evidence," Adams said.

"You need evidence of how it actually is operating on people's lives, what rights and freedoms it actually is impacting.

"And the (Alberta) Court of Appeals said, since we don't have any of that evidence, we don't have any of that information, and the claim could not proceed."

Bill 1 was introduced in response to the blockades of CN rail lines by Indigenous protesters in January 2020.

The bill levies hefty fines against individuals or companies found to have blocked, damaged or illegally entered any "essential infrastructure" including pipelines, rail lines, highways, oil sites, telecommunications equipment, radio towers, electrical lines, dams and farms.

Artur Pawlowski, the controversial Calgary street preacher, was charged under the act in February. He was accused of inciting protesters at the border blockade in Coutts, Alta.

LAWN ORDER GOVERNMENT

Braid: Criminals walk as UCP faces chronic problems with prosecution service

If prosecutors walk off the job, hundreds of cases would suddenly shut down, letting more perpetrators walk free

Author of the article: Don Braid • Calgary Herald
Publishing date: Apr 20, 2022 •

Crown prosecutor Aaron Rankin poses for a portrait at Centrium Place in downtown Calgary on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. 

PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Postmedia

Alberta’s Crown counsels — the ones who prosecute offenders — are talking seriously about going on strike. This is another crisis nobody needs, least of all the UCP government.

The Crown attorneys association has a meeting Thursday with Treasury Board officials that could lead to progress on pay.

This is welcome. Most Alberta prosecutors earn far less than their counterparts in other provinces. The gap with Ontario is said to be 40 per cent.

But pay is only one problem. On March 22, the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association sent Premier Jason Kenney a letter, asking for an urgent meeting.

They said, in part: “The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service is in crisis.

“Crushing file loads, inadequate mental health supports and uncompetitive compensation have led to dozens of unfilled prosecutor positions.

“We have seen a significant number of prosecutors leave the ACPS for places like British Columbia and Ontario, to the extent that the ACPS often seems like a farm team for other prosecution services.”

If prosecutors walk off the job, hundreds of cases would suddenly shut down, letting more perpetrators walk free.

As many as 3,000 cases are already at risk of withdrawal because they haven’t been taken to court within time limits. A work stoppage by the Crowns would add many more. After a strike of any length, the courts would face even greater backlogs when trials resumed.

“One of the very last things we want to do is go on strike, but we’re forced to look out for the long-term viability of the (prosecution) service,” says Dallas Sopko, president of the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association (ACAA).

Dallas Sopko, president of the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association, says there is strong support for a strike. 

PHOTO BY IAN KUCERAK /Postmedia

“We did a survey of our members and a very strong majority were in favour of going on strike. This isn’t just a bluff. This isn’t just words we throw around loosely.”

Under current conditions, the letter says, cases that could be stayed include “sexual assault, robberies, domestic assaults and other crimes of significant violence.” That doesn’t include hundreds of even more serious cases awaiting trial in Court of Queen’s Bench.

The prosecutors didn’t get a meeting with the premier. But “discussions” have started.

Alberta has about 380 Crown lawyers. The count is fluid because departures (and some additions) happen regularly.

The government did announce hiring of 50 new Crown prosecutors, mostly at the junior level. Officials say those people were brought on.

But still, departures are so high that nearly 40 positions are now vacant. In recent weeks three prosecutors from the Calgary office and four in Edmonton have taken jobs in other provinces. Every time that happens, the court backlogs stack up further.


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Crown prosecutors see 'glimmer of hope' to avoid strike after government meeting

Possible Crown prosecutor strike would bring justice system to a 'grinding halt'

The UCP has said for three years now that public servants make too much money in comparison with other provinces, based on the findings of the MacKinnon Report. The government’s key policy goal is to bring pay into line.

But the standard should apply both ways. If a vital area such as Crown prosecution is seriously underpaid by national standards, the compensation should surely be raised.

The government acknowledges that some Crowns, although not all, face a significant pay gap. There seems to be a will to fix that.

But the prosecutors have other problems. In 2017, the UCP, then in opposition, called for an end to triage; the system brought in by the NDP that allows picking and choosing which cases go to trial. Some are never heard because of staff shortages.

And yet, triage still exists under the UCP. The Crowns want it ended. There is also a shortage of security in rural courtrooms, a high level of stress and burnout, and many other problems.

The prosecutors are classified as managers even though, as Sopko says, “95 per cent of our lawyers don’t manage anyone.”

That classification means Crown prosecutors have faced several politically motivated pay freezes. It also keeps them from negotiating with the government. Unlike prosecutors in every other province but Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island, they do not have collective bargaining rights.

The government’s position seems to be that the Crowns are welcome to join the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. By law, all units with employees who work for government must bargain through AUPE.

But the lawyers argue persuasively that this would create a conflict of interest.

In trials, prosecutors often call witnesses who work for the government.

   

A courtroom at the Edmonton Law Courts building. 

PHOTO BY JASON FRANSON /The Canadian Press, file

A social worker might testify against an abusive spouse, for instance. The defence could claim that the worker and the Crown prosecutor are in conflict as AUPE members.

The Crowns asked the Labour Relations Board for certification as an independent bargaining unit. They were unsuccessful at the Board and again at Queen’s Bench. The case is now before the Appeal Court, awaiting decision.

The Queen’s Bench judgment rejected the prosecutors’ case on technical grounds, but pointed out that Crowns have their own independent bargaining units in British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

About 300 of the province’s Crown lawyers have joined the voluntary ACAA. It has gained informal standing with the government. The mere fact of a meeting with Treasury officials is a big step.

While the union question sorts out, there has to be urgent action on pay, staff shortages, security in rural court, work conditions and triaging.

Government neglect, alternating with occasional action, has allowed problems to fester and grow.

“There has to be some structure in place to prevent standards in the ACPS from slipping while political attention is directed elsewhere,” says Aaron Rankin, secretary of the prosecutors’ association.

“Albertans should be able to count on that.”

Only the criminals would disagree.


Don Braid’s column appears regularly in the Herald.
Twitter: @DonBraid
Facebook: Don Braid Politics

AUPE VS UCP

Alberta labour union takes fight against Critical Infrastructure Defence Act to the Supreme Court of Canada

Paula Tran - Yesterday

Alberta's largest public sector union is taking its constitutional challenge against the UCP government's Bill 1 to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said Bill 1, or the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, violates the rights of Albertans and is an attack on the freedom to take part in peaceful protests.

The union is seeking leave to have the Supreme Court hear an application to overturn a decision made by the Alberta Court of Appeal last December, after the appeal court ruled that AUPE had no standing to bring the claim because no one had yet been charged under the Act.

Read more:
Advanced education minister expects Alberta post-secondary institutions to drop vaccine and mask mandates

The union argues the Alberta Court of Appeal based its decision on hypotheticals, even though AUPE and its members were experiencing a "current chilling effect" from the bill's prohibitions.

"AUPE believes that peaceful protesting is a cornerstone of our democracy and that the aim of the government is to use the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act to silence opposition to its policies," said Patrick Nugent, AUPE's counsel, in an emailed statement on Friday.

Video: Alberta First Nation says response to Coutts blockade shows Bill 1 is ‘racially profiled’

AUPE first launched its constitutional challenge against Bill 1 in June 2020, after the bill passed third reading the month prior. The bill was passed in response to the rail and road blockades that were organized in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs protesting the construction of the Coastal Gas Link natural gas pipeline in northern B.C.

Read more:
Comparing Coutts border protest to Indigenous land defenders inaccurate, says Alberta premier

The bill allows law enforcement to arrest and fine anyone trying to shut down critical economic infrastructure, including railways and highways. It also makes it easier for police to intervene at blockades rather than wait for a court injunction.

But questions arose about the fact that the bill has not been used until Monday, 10 days after protestors arrived in Coutts.

Video: Alberta border blockade remains adamant, demands nationwide mandates lifted

Alberta RCMP has laid charges under the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act against Calgary street preacher Artur Pawlowski, who is being accused of obstructing and interfering with essential infrastructure.

Pawlowski was arrested at his residence by Alberta RCMP and Calgary Police Service officers on Monday. A video of his arrest showed him being handcuffed and taken away by police. Multiple people can also be seen yelling at the police and filming the incident.

Read more:
Alberta NDP calls on UCP to suspend commercial operators licences as Coutts protest enters 13th day

He has been taken before a justice of peace and remains in custody until his next court appearance on Feb. 16, said an RCMP spokesperson.

The AUPE criticized the UCP government's response to the protest, accusing it of only imposing the law against groups they don't like.

“The fact that the government and police waited so long to charge anyone under Bill 1 during the border protests at Coutts and aren’t using the act to shut down the protests entirely suggests that this will be a law that is imposed only on those with whom the government does not agree," said AUPE president Guy Smith.

The Alberta government maintains that the blockades are unlawful and enforcement decisions remain solely in the authority of the police.

Read more:
Manufacturing association says blockades taking big pinch out of Alberta’s economy

"The Alberta government looks forward to defending against these baseless claims. As always, enforcement decisions about statutes such as the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act remain solely in the authority of law enforcement.

"Constitutional rights, such as those of free assembly, have been found by courts to have reasonable limits. The blocking of critical infrastructure is unacceptable, and we believe that the Supreme Court of Canada will agree that the AUPE claim is without merit," said Alex Puddifant, acting Justice Minister Sonya Savage's press secretary.

Alberta loosening COVID-19 restrictions as border protests resume

Earlier this week, Kenney also said comparing police responses at Coutts to police responses to Indigenous land defenders is "inaccurate," calling the situation at Coutts very fluid and complex.

“It is never lawful to block a railway and I’ve seen with much frustration those kinds of blockades go on, sometimes for weeks. I think that is wrong,” he said

Alberta’s public service union votes to accept new collective agreement with province

By Emily Mertz Global News
Posted December 13, 2021


The two sides reached a settlement in mid-October after months of mediation.

AUPE represents about 95,000 workers in the province, including 22,000 who work in government services such as corrections, sheriffs, trades workers, conservation workers, social services, as well as administrative and support service workers.

The settlement was reached on Oct. 13 after about 20 months of negotiations.

“This round of bargaining has been the most challenging we have faced for many years,” AUPE president Guy Smith said.

“While these negotiations proceeded, our members have worked through a deadly global pandemic while continuing to provide vital services to Albertans. We appreciate the determination our members displayed to support each other and their negotiating team,” Smith added.

“They stood strongly opposed to the proposed employer concessions and to secure a collective agreement that respects them and the services they provide.”

READ MORE: Alberta government asks unionized public sector workers to take 4% pay cut

The agreement will expire on March 31, 2024.

According to the AUPE, it includes:
employment security for permanent staff staying in effect until Dec. 31, 2022
a 1.25 per cent salary increase effective Jan. 1, 2023

a minimum 1.5 per cent salary increase with potential for an additional 0.5 per cent increase based on economic factors effective Sept. 1, 2023

an eight per cent salary increase for employees performing duties as part of the Rural Alberta Provincial Integrated Defence response force as a result of significant expansion of policing duties, responsibilities and risks. The 8 per cent increase will be retroactive to April 1, 2021, and remain in place as long as RAPID exists

The union said the government withdrew concessions it had been seeking, including:
a four per cent salary rollback
the elimination of employment security
a significant reduction in shift differential pay
a significant reduction in weekend premium pay
the elimination of the paid Christmas closure days
added benefit plan costs for employees
reductions in overtime pay
reductions in health spending account provisions

2:03 Alberta nurses and other public sector unions warn of job action after wage rollback request – Jul 7, 2021

Alberta’s minister of finance said he was pleased AUPE members voted to accept the mediator’s recommendation.

“This four-year agreement comes after months of dedicated negotiations between the government of Alberta and the union. Full details of the ratified deal will be made available in the coming days,” Travis Toews said.

“I want to thank AUPE leadership for helping us achieve labour stability for the public service.

“This agreement recognizes the province’s long-term economic outlook and offers members compensation increases in the third and fourth year of the contract.”

Toews said this deal accomplishes the government’s goal of bringing spending in line with other provinces.

“I am hopeful that other public sector unions will look to this successful process, and that bargaining will proceed constructively across the broader public sector,” Toews said.

“The government respects the hard work and dedication of Alberta’s public service employees and their contribution to our province.”

AUPE, provincial government reach tentative deal



Wed., October 13, 2021


After months of what the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) referred to as intense negotiations, a mediated settlement has been reached with the provincial government.

AUPE represents 22,000 Government of Alberta employees like corrections workers, social workers and parks employees.

The groups have been in mediation since March after talks broke down.

"To be perfectly frank, I didn't think we would get to this point," Guy Smith, AUPE president, said.

"The government as an employer, in our opinion, was bound and determined to gain a number of concessions out of our members," Smith said.

The concessions the government wanted included a salary rollback, reductions in overtime pay, as well as reductions in benefits, among other things. According to an AUPE news release, these concessions are no longer on the table.

Here are some things the membership are voting on in the coming weeks, according to an AUPE news release:

1.25 per cent salary increase effective January 1, 2023.

Minimum 1.5 per cent salary increase with potential for additional 0.5 per cent increase based on economic factors effective September 1, 2023.

According to Smith, there had been steps taken to prepare for job action if necessary, including training hundreds of picket captains.

"We put all those processes in place and until we know this is a done deal, we will continue to [do so]," he said.

"I think the government saw our resolve. Obviously, we didn't want to be on picket lines, nobody does. We were determined to be prepared for it."

Union members still have to vote on the deal. The bargaining committee is recommending that members vote in favour of ratification.

Finance Minister Travis Toews said he is glad the agreement could bring labour stability for the public service.

"I respect the hard work and dedication of Alberta's Public Service employees and look forward to the results of the ratification vote," Toews said in an emailed statement.

Details of the agreement will be sent out through the mail, and due to COVID-19, Smith says they will also use a mail-in ballot system for the vote. He anticipated they will know the results in mid-December.

Smith said he hoped this signals a shift in the government's approach to other negotiations as well.

There are negotiations happening right now that include workers in healthcare and post secondary institutions as well as a number of other groups.

"There is some thought that this proposed settlement may have an impact on those tables as well because we're seeing concessions across the board at those tables," Smith said.

"We're hoping that this does reflect improved negotiations in those other areas as well."

The AUPE will be holding virtual town hall meetings for members who may have questions or concerns about the agreement. Those are expected to be held in November.

Notley, AUPE respond to Kenney's cabinet shuffle

BY JOSH RITCHIE
Last Updated Sep 22, 2021 

CALGARY — It didn’t take long for reaction to roll in after Jason Kenney shuffled his cabinet on Tuesday.

The cabinet shuffle was quick and saw former Health Minister Tyler Shandro shifted to be the new minister of labour and immigration.

While the man who held that role for the last two years, Jason Copping, was sworn in as the new minister of health.

Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley says swapping two ministers doesn’t change the fact that Jason Kenney is still the premier.

“Even if Jason Kenney were to step down, it doesn’t change the fact that the UCP has proven fundamentally that they cannot provide a responsible government for Albertans in a life-threatening pandemic,” said Notley.

She adds that while she isn’t sure if Tyler Shandro actually resigned from his position or not, the current issues the government face go beyond the former health minister.

Meanwhile, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) welcomed seeing someone new take on the role of health minister.

“Good riddance,” said AUPE Vice-President Susan Slade. “Tyler Shandro set fire to Alberta’s health care system and hung Albertans out to dry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s past time for him to suffer some consequences for his actions.”

In a release, AUPE says members recently obtained more than 1,299 online signatures calling for Shandro to resign.

Slade says Kenney’s cabinet shuffle is an attempt for the premier to salvage his reputation and echoed Notley in saying that, this is still a government run by Kenney.

“This is still Kenney’s government,” she said. “This does not erase how he has mistreated and attacked health care workers. Doctors won’t forget. Nurses won’t forget. Support services won’t forget. Patients won’t forget.”

Slade added that there are still some blemishes on Copping’s record, which include “regressive changes to workers’ compensation and legislation that could shut down protests against the government.”

“AUPE members are ready to defend themselves and all Albertans, regardless of whomever Kenney appoints,” she said. “When workers are under attack we stand up and fight back.”

Tyler Shandro and Jason Copping swap cabinet positions

Labour and Immigration Minister Jason Copping will take over the health portfolio this afternoon

Author of the article: Ashley Joannou

Publishing date: Sep 21, 2021

Health Minister Tyler Shandro announces the province's new COVID restrictions at McDougall Centre as Dr. Deena Hinshaw joins the press conference from Edmonton on Friday, September 3, 2021

 PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Postmedia

Tyler Shandro is no longer Alberta’s health minister after more than a year of heavy criticism over his handling of the portfolio.

Shandro was shuffled out at a short ceremony Tuesday afternoon, swapping roles with former labour and immigration minister Jason Copping who now takes over the health ministry.

Media was not invited to the ceremony, which was broadcast online. At a press conference later in the day, Premier Jason Kenney said Shandro offered his resignation from the health role and that both he and Shandro agreed it was time for a change.

“It is time for a fresh start, and a new pair of eyes on the largest department in the government, especially at a time such as this,” Kenney said, adding that it has been a “gruelling” file for Shandro.

Shandro had repeatedly faced calls to resign as health minister amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a protracted dispute between the government and doctors.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley — whose party had made those calls — said the news of Shandro’s shuffle was “welcome” but not a solution to the crisis going on in Alberta hospitals, which are overwhelmed by COVID-19.

“A cabinet shuffle will not ease the immense pressure on our hospitals from this severe fourth wave. It won’t reschedule the life-saving surgeries of thousands of Albertans. It won’t recover our economy. And it won’t help everyday families looking for leadership. Albertans deserve better.”

As newly-minted health minister, Copping said his focus will be on increasing hospital capacity, educating vaccine hesitant Albertans and preparing the health-care system for potential future waves of COVID-19.

“I stepped into this role, resolutely committed to building immediate capacity. However, we also know that COVID-19 is not likely to go anywhere, anytime soon,” he said.

Shandro’s departure comes as the province grapples with the fourth wave of COVID-19, which has put heavy pressure on the health-care system, particularly in intensive care units, leading to the cancellation of all surgeries that are considered non-essential and calls for other provinces and the federal government to help

.

Premier Jason Kenney standing in front of Jason Copping the newly appointed Minister of Health during a news conference in Edmonton, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. 

PHOTO BY ED KAISER /Postmedia

Kenney under fire

It also comes as Kenney faces internal conflict over the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, a senior member of the UCP called for his resignation, days after asking the UCP board to hold an emergency meeting to discuss an early leadership review.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said Tuesday that he doesn’t think swapping Shandro for Copping will be enough to quell the discontent Kenney is facing.

“I don’t think he could have done anything to keep his job. I mean, Shandro is being removed why? Because he implemented exactly what the premier wanted him to do,” he said.

Ahead of a caucus meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Kenney said he believes he still has the support of the members of his party, caucus and party board.

“There have been a voices of opposition to public health policies from within my own party from day one of the pandemic. It’s not a secret. But my responsibility as premier is to listen to public health advice, look at the reality, not wish it away, not allow politics to pressure us from taking the necessary steps to save lives and protect the health-care system,” he said.

Bratt also said he believes moving Shandro off the health file has been in the works for some time but that Kenney held off until after Monday’s federal election to avoid doing more damage to the federal Conservatives.

When questioned multiple times by reporters about the timing of Shandro’s move, Kenney repeated that the pair decided that it was time for a “fresh set of eyes” and said the government is focused on getting through the fourth wave of the pandemic, not on politics.

‘Good riddance’: AUPE

Shandro was regularly at odds with the province’s health-care associations and doctors, leading to the multiple calls for his resignation.

In March, 2020, after Shandro took fire for confronting a Calgary doctor in his driveway over a social media post, Kenney rejected such calls, saying it was understandable Shandro became “passionate” in defending his spouse.

After doctors voted down a contract offer from the province in April 2021, Kenney rejected calls to fire him, saying he had his “full, 100 per cent confidence.”

Dr. Paul Boucher, president of the Alberta Medical Association, said that while there has been challenging times during negotiations, he appreciates Shandro’s “efforts to improve the relationship with physicians in recent months.”

“I wish him well. We look forward to continuing with his successor our current efforts to solidify the relationship between government and the medical profession,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

In 2020, the government said it would be cutting 11,000 Alberta Health Services jobs mostly by outsourcing positions in laboratories, housekeeping, food services and laundry. The change is estimated to save $600 million annually.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), which has raised the alarm about the outsourcing, welcomed the news of Shandro’s departure.
“Good riddance,” said Susan Slade, AUPE vice-president, in a statement. “Tyler Shandro set fire to Alberta’s health-care system and hung Albertans out to dry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s past time for him to suffer some consequences for his actions.”

Kenney, meanwhile, thanked Shandro for his service and called him “one of the hardest working people I’ve ever known.”

The AUPE and Friends of Medicare criticized Copping for a piece of legislation he tabled last year limiting presumptive coverage for psychological injuries to only firefighters, police officers, peace officers, paramedics, corrections officers and emergency dispatchers.

Friends of Medicare also condemned a call his local constituency association made for the government to “support the option of a privately-funded and privately-managed health-care system” during the UCP’s 2020 convention.

Slade claimed moving Shandro is Kenney’s attempt to salvage his reputation by giving the impression of a fresh start for his government’s management of the health-care file.

“This is still Kenney’s government,” she said. “This does not erase how he has mistreated and attacked health-care workers. Doctors won’t forget. Nurses won’t forget. Support services won’t forget. Patients won’t forget.”

– With files from Lisa Johnson

TWEEDLE DEE & TWEEDLE DUM CHANGE PLACES

Shandro shuffled out as Alberta's health minister, takes on labour portfolio in swap with Copping

Former health minister faced heavy criticism throughout the pandemic

Author of the article:Ashley Joannou
Publishing date:Sep 21, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 2 minute read • 29 Comments

Tyler Shandro was shuffled off the health portfolio Tuesday afternoon. 

PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Postmedia, file



Tyler Shandro is no longer Alberta’s health minister after more than a year of heavy criticism over his handling of the portfolio.

Shandro was shuffled out at a short ceremony Tuesday afternoon, swapping roles with former labour and immigration minister Jason Copping who now takes over the health ministry.

Media was not invited to the ceremony, which was broadcast online. Premier Jason Kenney did not give a statement explaining his decision to swap the portfolios.

Amid the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a protracted dispute between the government and doctors, the NDP Opposition had repeatedly called for Shandro’s resignation as health minister.

In March, 2020, after Shandro took fire for confronting a Calgary doctor in his driveway, Kenney rejected calls for his removal, saying it was understandable Shandro became “passionate” in defending his spouse.

After doctors voted down a contract offer from the province in April 2021, Kenney again rejected calls to fire Shandro, saying he had his “full, 100 per cent confidence.”

In a written statement Tuesday, NDP Leader Rachel Notley called news of Shandro’s shuffle “welcome” but said it is not a solution to the crisis going on in Alberta hospitals.

“It is clear that the responsibility for Alberta’s pandemic mismanagement rests on the shoulders of every UCP member and therefore it is incumbent on them all to take responsibility and chart a more effective path on behalf of Albertans,” Notley said.

“A cabinet shuffle will not ease the immense pressure on our hospitals from this severe fourth wave. It won’t reschedule the life-saving surgeries of thousands of Albertans. It won’t recover our economy. And it won’t help everyday families looking for leadership. Albertans deserve better.”

Tuesday’s move comes as the province is dealing with a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta currently has the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the country. The latest wave has put heavy pressure on the health-care system, particularly in intensive care units, leading to the cancellation of all surgeries that are considered non-essential.

Officials with Alberta Health Services announced last week that they were reaching out to other Canadian provinces asking for ICU spaces and skilled labour.

With files from Lisa Johnson

Alberta's new health minister brings questions and concerns from opponents to portfolio

Duane Bratt, a political scientist at MRU, said there are many questions around how Copping, a relatively unknown member of the legislature, ended up in the position and what he will do now that he has the role

Author of the article:Dylan Short
Publishing date:Sep 21, 2021

Minsiter of Health Jason Copping seen during his time as Minister of Labour and Immigration 

PHOTO BY LARRY WONG/POSTMEDIA


The appointment of a Calgary MLA into the role of health minister has left question marks, doubt and worry amid political commentators and opponents.

Jason Copping, MLA for Calgary Varsity and former minister of Labour and Immigration, took the reins as health minister Tuesday afternoon. Tyler Shandro has taken over Copping’s former portfolio.

Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, wished Copping good luck as he steps into his new role, a position that has been under increasing scrutiny. Alberta is currently grappling with the highest COVID-19 case numbers in Canada and a health-care system that is struggling to maintain capacity.

Bratt said there are many questions around how Copping, a relatively unknown member of the legislature, ended up in the position and what he will do now that he has the role.

“How did he end up (there), was he the last guy in the room?” said Bratt. “I don’t know how he ended up in that job.”

Before entering provincial politics, Copping spent two decades working in management in the labour relations and human resources fields. His official UCP bio states he has previously worked on collective bargaining agreements and represented management in arbitration cases.

Copping was first elected into the legislature in 2019 and named to Premier Jason Kenney’s cabinet later that year. He has spent the past two years as the minister of Labour and Immigration, sponsoring five bills. Those bills mostly amended legislation around business and workplaces.

One of his recent bills, Bill 47: Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape, 2020, changed a number of legal protections and compensation measures introduced by the previous NDP government. Those changes included the removal of presumptive psychological coverage for many health-care workers, including nurses and doctors.

Those workers can still receive compensation for issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, but the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) won’t automatically assume those injuries come from the workplace.

Official Opposition Leader Rachel Notley reacted to Tuesday’s cabinet shuffle in a series of tweets, saying Copping has a legacy of revoking WCB protections and failing to protect workers at Alberta meat plants during COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) issued a similar statement, saying Copping has “blemishes” on his record, pointing to changes in workers legislation.

Bratt said the new role would be difficult for anyone to take on as relations have been frayed through past and present labour negotiations with health-care workers.

The province is currently negotiating a new bargaining agreement with the United Nurses of Alberta.

“What is his standing? What are the policy changes? Those are all very good questions and there is, I mean, there is no trust that the health-care workers have with the government over labour negotiations,” said Bratt.

Copping said Tuesday afternoon that he is honoured to be asked to serve as health minister. He said he has three pillars he plans to work on: increasing health-care capacity permanently, getting vaccine-hesitant Albertans to receive their shots and prepping the health-care system to adequately respond to potential future waves of COVID-19.

“We obviously have immediate and significant pressures on our health-care system right now and I step into this role resolutely committed to building immediate capacity,” said Copping.