Niagara Falls Review e-edition

Backbencher urges Kenney to admit he botched virus response

Critic had previously been kicked out of Alberta premier’s cabinet

DEAN BENNETT

One of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s legislature members is calling on him to admit he botched the fourth wave of COVID-19 and to outline a plan to fix it.

“He must show some humility and admit he was wrong and tell us how he will make it right,” Leela Aheer posted Wednesday on Twitter.

The tweet was a word-forword repeat of critical comments in a Calgary Sun newspaper column on Kenney’s latest handling of the pandemic. Aheer, who represents the constituency of Chestermere-Strathmore, is Kenney’s former minister of culture, multiculturalism and the status of women. She was critical of Kenney’s actions earlier in the pandemic and was kicked out of cabinet in July, although the premier has denied the demotion was punishment for her remarks.

Her latest comment comes as Kenney’s COVID-19 cabinet committee met for the second consecutive day to find a solution to spiralling cases that have pushed intensive care beds beyond normal capacity and forced mass cancellation of non-urgent surgeries.

Meanwhile, his United Conservative government faced renewed criticism from school officials for downloading COVID-19 health decisions, including mask mandates, to individual boards.

The board of trustees for Red Deer Public Schools, in a letter to Education Minister Adriana LaGrange, called that decision a failure of leadership.

“Your government abdicated what was rightfully within the purview of government and public health, laying it on the feet of school boards,” said the letter.

Alberta has more than 18,000 active cases.

CANADA & WORLD

en-ca

2021-09-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-16T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://niagarafallsreview.pressreader.com/article/281861531635366

Toronto Star Newspapers Limited