At a Glance - July 12, 2023
CBC Retracts Report That Alleged Email Interference from Premier’s Office on Coutts Cases
After the investigation led by Alberta’s Ethics Commissioner, Marguerite Trussler, found “no evidence” of an email from Danielle Smith’s office to the Crown Prosecution, CBC has opted to correct their initial reporting of the story and “regrets reporting direct contact by email.”
CBC’s original reporting on Jan. 19, 2023, cited a source that claimed an email had been sent from within the premier’s office, by a staffer, to a Crown prosecutor regarding the outcome of Coutts cases. The news outlet revealed this week that they had reviewed the journalism and re-interviewed several sources and parties to the matter. After further discussion, the source admitted they couldn't confirm emails were sent directly from the premier’s office. Despite this revelation, the source maintains that Crown prosecutors felt political pressure.
Since the January article was published, Danielle Smith vehemently denied the existence of any such emails and threatened a lawsuit against CBC News. While no such action has yet been taken, the Premier has said she feels “vindicated” by the retraction.
New Opioid Data Released, Shows Record-High Deaths
April represented the deadliest month on record for opioid deaths in Alberta, a figure which has led some health researchers to call for the province to return to releasing neighbourhood-level data – believing that doing so could help save lives. Despite the calls, the province remains hesitant to commit to releasing such data, citing concerns tied to privacy. The 45% spike in April of 2023 from April of 2022 has also seen some experts using the higher numbers as proof that Alberta’s model for combating drug poisoning in the province is not working.
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Dan Williams said Tuesday that the data is clear that more needs to be done to address the addictions crisis. Williams said that as part of the UCP Government’s effort to combat the addiction crisis, they are constructing 11 new recovery communities across the province, including those in partnership with First Nations.
The release of these numbers has prompted the NDP opposition to accuse the UCP of withholding the latest data on opioid-related deaths until after the provincial election. The premier’s office and the office of the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions have both denied the claims, stating they were not briefed on the new numbers until after they were sworn in on June 9.
Doctors Sign Open Letter to Decry AHS Decision to Revoke Hinshaw Job Offer
After it was announced that a job offer made by the Indigenous Wellness Core (IWC) to Dr. Deena Hinshaw had been revoked due to public outcry, 130 Alberta doctors signed a petition decrying AHS.
The petition describes the doctor’s concerns as “grave” and calls for an investigation into the decision – which resulted in the resignation of the renowned indigenous physician Dr. Esther Tailfeathers from her position as senior medical director with the IWC. The petition goes on to state that “there is no place for leadership which undermines the decisions, recommendations and sovereignty of the Indigenous Wellness Core, and no place for political interference in healthcare delivery.” Members of the Indigenous community have also expressed similar concerns.
AHS previously refused to comment on the situation and has not addressed the petition.
Alberta Releases Fiscal Update
The Alberta Government announced Thursday that they ended the 2022-23 budget year with a petro-powered surplus of $11.6 Billion, a figure which exceeded their estimate of $10.4 billion from the last quarter. The strong financial position allowed the province to pay down $13.3 billion in debt as well as contribute to the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, which grew from $2.5 billion to $21.2 billion.
Prior to the release of the fiscal report, the NDP opposition had raised concerns that extra spending combined with lower-than-expected oil prices could over-extend the province financially. Despite the fiscal surplus, the NDP continues to call for the UCP government to re-evaluate their pre-election budget projections for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, believing the estimated US$79 per barrel to be too high.
Cenovus Hit with Clean-Up Order After Diesel Spill
Cenovus Energy Inc. has been issued a clean-up order by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) after a diesel spill between 1,000-1,500 litres in northern Alberta’s Rainbow Lake. Cenovus had been operating a temporary diesel generator earlier this month near Rainbow Lake due to the loss of electricity infrastructure from the wildfires. The diesel leak is believed to have happened on June 17.
Rainbow Lake is known to be abundant with fish and is a popular site with recreational users and Indigenous fishers. Cenovus has begun an emergency response plan and is working to retain and recover the leaked diesel. AER has also stated that Cenovus must begin a regular hydrocarbon sampling program in the area to assess the impact on fish and wildlife found at Rainbow Lake.