Alberta's Kenney denies scapegoating chief medical officer for COVID-19 failures

Premier Jason Kenney is rejecting accusations that he is blaming the province's chief medical officer of health for Alberta's failures in the handling of the fourth wave of COVID-19.

Premier Jason Kenney is rejecting accusations that he is blaming the province's chief medical officer of health for Alberta's failures in the handling of the fourth wave of COVID-19.

“The buck does stop with me,” Kenney told the house in response to Opposition NDP questions Wednesday.

“I've taken responsibility. We do, of course, take on board the expert advice of our health officials, in particular, the chief medical officer for health.

“The notion that I would ascribe blame is absurd.”

The NDP has been seeking details on why the government took no action in August as COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations were on track to reach dangerous levels and doctors urged for action to be taken.

Earlier this week, during a debate in the house, Kenney said they would have called a cabinet meeting and acted on any such recommendations in August from Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the chief medical officer of health, if she had provided any.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said she was skeptical Kenney would have called such a meeting, mocking the premier as the “Tom Brady of buck passing,” a reference to the star NFL quarterback.