Alberta Premier Jason Kenney refused COVID-19 help from N.L. premier
Global News
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney refused Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey's offer to help the Prairie province through the fourth COVID-19 wave.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney refused Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey’s offer to help the Prairie province through the fourth COVID-19 wave as the health-care system teeters on the brink of collapse.
There are currently 20,513 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta, according to provincial data. Alberta Health said 1,100 people are in hospital with the disease — 263 of whom are in intensive care.
Furey said Tuesday Kenney asked him to stand down.
“He was supportive of that and open to it, and we began organizing here on the ground in Newfoundland and Labrador in concert and co-operation with our regional health authorities and were able to put together similar teams to what we did for Ontario.”
The start date would have been either next week or the week after, Furey said.
“Then last week, Premier Kenney said that the situation had evolved to the point where their predictive modelling would suggest that they wouldn’t require resources at this time,” he said.
“I reassured them that we would be there for him, and the offer still stands, provided our own situation is OK into the future.”
Kenney said Tuesday discussions with Newfoundland and Labrador are ongoing.
