Alberta NDP Health Critic David Shepherd issued the following statement today:

“Today, we recorded our third-highest daily case count on record. There are 643 Albertans in hospital, 145 of whom are fighting for their lives in the ICU. 

“Alberta’s response has been hampered by the constant flow of misinformation from Premier Jason Kenney. Today, he argued there is no direct link between public health restrictions and preventing community spread. He also blamed Indigenous people for the outbreaks in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. 

“These lies follow his claims that COVID-19 is an influenza that does not threaten lives apart from the elderly. He has said other causes of death are more serious and Albertans who contract the virus are not sick. He has said children do not contract COVID-19 and do not spread it in school. He’s allowed his MLAs to undermine the Chief Medical Officer of Health. He says anyone who tested positive now has natural immunity.

“Albertans need real leadership, not this weak and dishonest premier.”