Alberta Minute: Policing Amendments, Medication Obtained, and Sovereignty Act Passed

Alberta Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Alberta politics.

This Week In Alberta:

• The legislative session continues this week, with afternoon and evening sittings on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and an afternoon sitting on Thursday. Several Bills will be discussed, including one that, if passed, will rescind the Province’s ability to throw out its master agreement with doctors.
  
  
• The Standing Committee on Public Accounts will meet from 8:00 am to 10:00 am on Tuesday. On the agenda is the Ministry of Children’s Services Annual Report 2021-22.
  
  
• The Province is importing five million bottles of children’s pain and fever medication. As soon as the import is approved by Health Canada, Tylenol and Advil will be on the way in an attempt to combat the months-long shortages. Health Minister Jason Copping says the price at which pharmacists will be able to procure the medication is conducive to sales at the average retail cost.

Last Week In Alberta:

• Bill 1, the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act was passed by the Legislature. The United Conservative caucus added an amendment clarifying that the Bill did, in fact, do exactly what it proposed to do - allow the Alberta Legislature to vote before any use of the Act.
  
  
• The Alberta government proposed the Police Amendment Act, a Bill which would establish the Police Review Commission - an independent oversight body. The Commission would receive complaints, carry out investigations, and conduct disciplinary hearings. All jurisdictions with a population above 15,000 currently policed by the RCMP would be required to establish civilian oversight bodies - negotiations are underway to make this happen. Police forces also have to develop diversity and inclusion plans to better understand community needs.
  
  
• Alberta’s two Deputy Chief Medical Officers of Health resigned. Dr. Rosana Salvaterra and Dr. Jing Hu did not give public reasons for their resignations and are continuing to work while the Province looks for replacements. Health Minister Jason Copping says the Province is actively seeking to fill the roles and find support for new Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mark Joffe.

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