Alberta to list hospitals as critical infrastructure in response to anti-vaccination protests
CBC
Alberta's hospitals and other facilities providing health services will soon be protected by the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, Premier Jason Kenney announced on Tuesday.
No new restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were announced, despite recent calls from medical professionals to enact "fire-breaker" measures to protect the struggling health-care system.
Instead, health-care facilities will soon be subject to the same legal protection as railways, highways and pipelines, carrying punishments for trespassing, interfering with operations and construction or causing damage.
The measure is in response to protests two weeks ago across the country by anti-vaccination groups, Kenney said.
"Recently, Albertans watched anti-vaccine protesters stand in front of our hospitals, hurling mistruths and misinformation about our health-care system, our doctors and our nurses. People were rightly shocked to see this totally inappropriate behaviour from a vocal minority," he said.
"These people protesting at hospitals have harassed health-care workers who are fighting the COVID-19 crisis on the frontlines, and they've disrupted Albertans there who are going to hospitals to seek treatment or support loved ones."
Kenney and Justice Minister Kaycee Madu reiterated that the intention was not to interfere with any individual's Constitutional right to lawfully protest.
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