Decline of the COVID-19 pandemic starting to spark tempered optimism

By Lethbridge Herald Opinion on June 25, 2021.

Despite the challenges of the last several months, I have to say that I’m writing this column with a sense of tempered optimism. We’re starting to see the end of the pandemic!
Impressive numbers of Albertans have rolled up their sleeves for their second doses. COVID-19 cases have fallen dramatically as we make progress on vaccines. What makes me particularly proud is that Lethbridge residents are getting vaccinated at very high rates – 10-20 per cent higher than other similarly-sized cities like Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Medicine Hat. Just as we have throughout this pandemic, our community is coming together.
If you haven’t had the chance to book either your first or second dose of the vaccine, I encourage you to reach out to Healthlink by calling 811 or visit alberta.ca/covid19-vaccine. That site also has lots of good information for those with questions about the vaccine.
Beyond progress on the vaccine front, I’ve also been uplifted by our remarkable community coming together to strengthen and reaffirm the bonds between us. Whether it was the powerful, multi-faith vigil organized by Lethbridge’s Islamic community to mourn the terrorist attack in London, Ontario, the displays of solidarity with our Indigenous neighbours in the wake of the discovery of the bodies of 215 children in Kamloops, the flag raising at City Hall on Indigenous Peoples Day or the Pride celebrations in our community, Lethbridge and Southern Alberta have come together to share our sadness, celebrate our progress, and recommit to doing better by each other.
As always, our community and region are a model for our province and I am incredibly proud of the hard work being done here to make our city even better.
This month also marked the end of the spring sitting of the legislature. There too, there were many causes for optimism. Our NDP caucus continued to bring forward meaningful proposals to make life better for Albertans, and to halt some of the worst excesses of the UCP government. From legislation to protect our Eastern Slopes from coal mining, to a proposal for an independent seniors advocate to hold the government accountable, to efforts to prevent the sale of our provincial parks and wild places, my NDP colleagues and I spent this session fighting for issues that were important to everyday Albertans. We sought to make workplaces fairer and healthier by seeking paid sick leave and presumptive WCB coverage for COVID-19, and fought to protect your hard-earned CPP retirement security savings from Jason Kenney’s misguided efforts to gamble with the money that comes off your paycheque every month.
While I am constantly humbled by the opportunity residents of Lethbridge have given me to stand in Edmonton and push back on the damage being done by the UCP, I am often in awe that Jason Kenney has persistently been so out of touch with Albertans’ needs and priorities.
Over the past few weeks, there was a lot of media attention on Jason Kenney’s UCP three-ring circus. Albertans were dismayed to learn the Premier hosted a private, alcohol-fuelled dinner party at the so-called “Sky Palace” for himself and his Health, Environment and Finance Ministers, contrary to health orders at the time.
The UCP saw MLAs leave the caucus and criticize Mr. Kenney’s leadership. Internal problems meant the Premier couldn’t focus on what matters: for example, hundreds of people in Lethbridge have lost their family doctor in the past two months. Several rural hospitals across Alberta are closing their emergency rooms on select days. There is a rural health care crisis authored by the UCP war on doctors.
Meanwhile, too, the UCP lost a minimum of $1.3 billion by investing in the Keystone XL pipeline, a line that depended on Donald Trump getting re-elected. While the pipeline was in Alberta’s interest, and there may even have been a good reason for the government to invest, Mr. Kenney did not safeguard our money. He was reckless and disrespectful with our funds, and our schools and hospitals will pay the price for the UCP folly.
Meanwhile, there are 200,000 unemployed Albertans and we lost another 13,000 jobs from March to June.
Alberta needs a more thoughtful plan for economic growth and diversification.
Our NDP Caucus has launched the Alberta’s Future project – hundreds of hours of Zoom consultations with industry sectors, ordinary citizens, subject matter experts, on creating jobs and diversifying the economy. We’re making sure our proposals reflect Alberta’s economic reality and our incredible potential. To have a look at our proposals – on issues such as attracting technology companies, building a hydrogen economy, or investing in post-secondary education, research and training – go to http://www.albertasfuture.ca. There will be more activity once again in the fall, and we’re looking forward to in-person events and meetings to hear from Albertans.
Finally, I want to acknowledge all the grads of 2021! Congratulations on your perseverance through these difficult times. Thanks, too, to all the education professionals who supported our children’s success this school year. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed by Rachel Notley and her team of MLAs. We see you.
As always, if you need the services of my office, feel free to contact lethbridge.west@assembly.ab.ca or call 403-329-4644.