‘The premier is still missing in action’: watchdog group criticizes Alberta government over health-care concerns

Health-care workers are wondering where Alberta's premier is, as Danielle Smith's media silence hits three weeks.

Three weeks after she last took questions from media, health-care workers are wondering why Alberta’s premier isn’t addressing their system concerns.

Danielle Smith last spoke to reporters on Jan. 2.

In the 21 days since, the province’s physicians, nurses and emergency staff have called for a state of emergency to confront growing hospital wait times and overcrowding.

Their request has been denied.

Matt Jones, the Minister of Hospital and Surgical Services, said earlier this week the province already has the tools it needs to weather the storm.

But Jones was also “hiding from Albertans” before making that clear, according to organization Friends of Medicare.

“It took weeks to hear from any of the four health ministers, and the premier is still missing in action,” president Chris Gallaway said. “When we finally heard from (Jones), he was just regurgitating previous promises the province made, but that have no timelines and no costing.”

“Nothing to deal with the emergency that we’re facing right now on the front lines of health care.”

Since returning from a Christmas break, Smith has only appeared at private functions.

Most have been focused in on energy infrastructure and investor confidence.

She did briefly address health care at the Jan. 2 availability, after the December death of an Edmonton man waiting to receive treatment.

But she’s been relatively quiet on the topic since.

“All emergency room doctors that I talk to right now want to hear from the Premier,” Gallaway said. “It’s a real moral burden we’re placing on workers — especially in emergency health-care — and to have silence from their government and a lack of solutions is so destructive.”

“The premier has not engaged directly with the media on questions that are really front and centre for Albertans,” Mount Royal University Politicial Scientist Lori Williams said. “Though it may be flawed, the media is a critical part of holding government to account, ensuring transparency and accountability and making sure those stories are covered and that they get the government‘s response.”

‘Still working’

Smith’s office told CTV News the premier has continued to meet with ministers and be briefed on government business during her time away.

In a press conference Wednesday, Alberta’s Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services said his boss is still present.

“Our premier works tirelessly and we’re lucky to have her,” Jason Nixon said. “She’s usually among my first texts or phone calls a day.”

Her press secretary said Smith will be hosting her call-in radio show again starting Saturday, before leaving to Ottawa for the First Minister’s Meetings mid-week.

It’s expected Smith will be back in Alberta taking media questions next Saturday at the Conservative Party of Canada Convention.

In the mean time, emergency physicians say they’re seeing marginal improvements on the ground — but that they’re still exhausted.

“It’s sort of like moving deck chairs around on the Titanic,” Dr. Scott MacLean said. “Yes, we’re doing a little better. I’ve got a spot to sit now. But the ship is still going down.”

“We need someone saying, ‘here’s some meaningful change. Here are the tools you need to do your job.’”

“(Physicians) have tried to meet with multiple ministers,” Gallaway added. “They’ve tried to ask what part of the bureaucracy is looking into this. It’s just really hard to get answers of who’s ultimately responsible, who’s working on what and on the solutions. We’re just hearing a political speech about how great this restructuring is going to be for care.”