The Alberta Party finds it reprehensible that anyone would plan or participate in protests at hospitals across the country tomorrow [Sept. 13]. These protests are only designed to intimidate health care workers and unnecessarily delay patients’ access to the care they need. This is not who Albertans are.
What is the current UCP government doing about this? Nothing. The UCP government has the means to protect our Healthcare workers and the patients needing immediate hospital access through legislation they passed for this very purpose, but they refuse to act.
The UCP Bill 1, the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act needs to be immediately enforced.
Bill 1 protects essential infrastructure from damage or interference caused by blockades, protests or similar activities, which can cause significant public safety, social, economic and environmental consequences.”
The Alberta Party is calling for Premier Kenney to take immediate action to prohibit the protests from being held at any location that threatens our valued health care workers or puts patient outcomes at risk by exercising the law as delivered in Bill 1. Why create legislation that you refuse to enforce?
The Alberta Party will always support our workers and hospital authorities to ensure that safety is paramount. No healthcare professional should be subject to abuse and no patient should ever have to wonder if they will get access to the hospital on time. Hospital protests are absolutely senseless! We are not against the public expressing their views. Protest if you wish, but not in an area that could jeopardize critical care for innocent patients or the safety of our dedicated health care workers.
Alberta Party Leader, Barry Morishita.
