Premier Smith to replace Dr. Hinshaw with 'team of public health advisors'
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she will replace Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw.
In her first press conference as premier, Smith told reporters she would seek "new advice on public health."
"I appreciate the work that Dr. Deena Hinshaw has done, but I think that we are in a new phase where we are now talking about treating coronavirus as endemic, as we do influenza," the premier said.
"(I will be) developing a new team of public health advisors."
Hinshaw became the province's top doctor when the Alberta NDP were in power. She issued hundreds of COVID-19 updates throughout the pandemic and advised government officials on key issues, such as restrictions and mask mandates.
Smith, a vocal critic of the government's pandemic decisions, is shaking things up at Alberta Health Services "very quickly."
She said vaccine mandates at AHS were an example of "poor management" that created staffing problems, and vowed to make changes to its management team before the end of the year.
"This is a management problem, it is not a problem with our frontline workers. Our frontline workers need to be supported," Smith said.
"What happens in a business when they fail to meet targets and they fail to meet direction, you change the management. And so that's what we are going to do. We are going to change the management."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.