Nov 05, 2022 • 2 hours ago • 3 minutes read • 17 comments Premier Danielle Smith speaks at a luncheon at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, October 20, 2022. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia Archive

Content of the article

A former Trump administration adviser who pushed for an immunity approach to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has been invited to speak to Alberta’s governing body, Premier Danielle Smith said this week.

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

During a Brooks-Medicine Hat pre-election forum this week, Smith said a group of doctors advising her reached out to Dr. Paul Alexander, a Canadian researcher and former adviser to a member of US President Donald Trump’s administration. Alexander pushed for a herd immunity approach in 2020 and had previously sought to have more control over non-political communications, according to reports from US-based news outlets. Sign up to receive daily news headlines from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

Thanks for subscribing!

A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The next issue of the Calgary Herald Headline News will be in your inbox soon. We encountered a problem with your registration. PLEASE try again

Content of the article

Smith’s remark was made during a forum held this week by the Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce in response to Alberta Independence Party candidate Bob Blion. Blayone said he learned about the COVID-19 pandemic by contacting Alexander as well as several other doctors who have become popular throughout the pandemic for spreading what has since been deemed misinformation.

Advertising 3

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

Blayone said those individuals want to come to Alberta and meet with the government. “I have a team of doctors who are advising me and I know they have already contacted Dr Paul Alexander. So, I’m interested to hear what he has to say,” Smith said in response. Becca Polak, Smith’s press secretary, said Smith was consulting with Health Minister Jason Copping about putting together a “specialized and diverse panel” of medical experts to advise the government on a range of health issues. “This group of health advisors will be announced before the end of the year after the necessary screening and selection process has been completed,” Polak said in an email. He did not answer several questions about the invitation sent to Alexander or whether he is being considered for the team of medical specialists.

Advertising 4

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

Smith has, on several occasions, said she will try to overhaul Alberta’s health care system. He said Alberta will never again introduce mask mandates in schools or vaccination mandates in the wider community. He also announced that he will replace Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Dina Hinshaw, who has largely been the face of Alberta’s pandemic response. Smith said she has plans to overhaul the board of Alberta Health Services. She has also stated that she believes that people who choose not to vaccinate have been the most discriminated against group of people in her lifetime. Smith has since issued clarifications on that comment. Tim Caulfield, a health law and policy researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, said it was disappointing to hear that people who lobbied for discredited positions were being sought to update health policy.

Advertising 5

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Content of the article

“It’s further proof that Danielle Smith is listening to fringe voices,” Caulfield said. “There is a large body of evidence that has been accumulated by renowned experts, independent experts from around the world, that he could draw upon. Instead, it targets people who have been discredited and who promote discredited theories.” Caulfield said there was room for reflection on the government’s response to COVID-19 and for learning from past decisions. However, he said work was already underway and would have to be evidence-based. He said claims that herd immunity would have helped us overcome the pandemic have been largely discredited by the medical community. Pointing to a recently published study involving hundreds of experts from various fields, he said there is a growing consensus on how to deal with COVID-19 and it revolves around a strong vaccine policy and additional public health measures. “This is all political theater. Revisionist history. This has nothing to do with good science,” Caulfield said. [email protected]

Share this article on your social network

This ad hasn’t loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their views on our articles.  Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site.  We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful.  We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email if you get a reply to your comment, there’s an update on a comment thread you’re following, or if a user follows the comments.  Visit the Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.