A challenge to Covid restrictions in Alberta (Ingram v Alberta) is shining a light on the question as to who is responsible for decision-making in public health matters – is it the government, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), or both? During the pandemic, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Alberta, had taken her recommendations to cabinet and then made her orders based on their advice. The court found that the orders had become cabinet orders, not public health orders, and were therefore invalid. While I think the judge was technically correct, it is an extraordinary result. Should the Covid-related orders with their significant financial and social impacts have been the purview of a single public official? It is government, with its knowledge of citizens and the economy, which is in a far better position to measure their impact ... CLICK HERE to read the full commentary
A discussion on political, economic and social issues in British Columbia, and Canada