The premise of the article is that provinces have the exclusive jurisdiction over healthcare.
This statement is categorically FALSE.
Since Confederation, health has ALWAYS been a shared responsibility.
Or that’s what the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled. Repeatedly.
There are several documented articles and legal opinions available that define the federal government’s role in healthcare. Here is one. lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWe…
Yes, provinces are responsible for hospitals and delivery of medical services.
But the federal government is responsible for funding those services and can shape how they are delivered by setting standards and attaching requirements to said funding.
A clause of the constitution has always included powers of federal authority to be used in an emergency.
If provinces are incapable (and I assume that includes unwilling) to address an emergency, it is within the purview of the federal government to intrude on areas generally of exclusive provincial purview.
This pandemic has presented one of those circumstances.
As described in the Loonie Politics article, several premiers have abdicated their responsibilities and refuse to protect the public’s health.
It is completely within the constitutional powers of the federal government to take over that role and protect the people of Canada.
If there ever is a showdown between federal and provincial governments for the control of a COVid strategy, the federal government is well within its purview to act and assume national coordination & control, when provincial governments have proven incapable or unwilling.
And if it does get to that point, which it appears more likely every day, there will be many on the right screaming blue murder and that the federal government is intruding on exclusive domain of provinces.
The public’s response will influence the success and impact of Feds.
Premiers will use disinformation, like the Looney Politics article, to back claims that the federal government has overreached its powers.
Because the public doesn’t often read legal opinions & the constitution; putting faith in journalists to CORRECTLY interpret Canadian laws.
I don’t write this thread to embarrass or humiliate @journo_dale.
I just happen to live in the province with the premier who will definitely use this baseless argument, and who already has, a few times this week.
Jason Kenney has already voiced his opinion that he has exclusive decision making authority to decide the fate of Albertans.
Kenney is gaslighting Albertans & the rest of Canada.
Health, especially public health, IS a SHARED responsibility between federal & provincial govts.
The lives of many Albertans may depend on that very soon. Albertans can not afford for disinformation to be propagated by well meaning journalists who haven’t done their homework.
May I suggest a retraction and amendment of the article? Millions of lives depend on fact & truth.
I also don’t want there to be any question that the federal government is completely within its purview and legal right to take over provincial COVid mitigation. In fact it’s an obligation for the Feds to step in if premiers cannot get COVid under control.
Another legal opinion. Notice the acknowledgement that Federal government planned to invoke Emergency Powers. But it was blocked by premiers, Scheer (CPC) and Singh (NDP).
Imagine if feds were in charge. We might look like New Zealand.
This research article flags provincial unwillingness to collaborate during a public health emergency.
It was produced during Harper’s govt. So CPC was aware for 9 years that Feds needed additional legislation to ensure cooperation with federal strategy.
Weird that the former MP in Harper’s cabinet who is now premier of Alberta is putting up the biggest resistance to a federal strategy that actually protects the public’s health.
Or is it? 🤷🏻♀️
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It’s the equivalent of continuing to bang your head against a brick wall, even after your head starts to bleed. It’s obvious that the policy and ideology is insufficient to meet the need. But ideology over logic & reason prevails. Along with human deaths and illness.
Any ideology, regardless of its political origin, is NOT meant to replace observation, logic, responding to reality and informed decision making.
It’s obvious the honour system is NOT working. It’s time to enforce mandatory restrictions.
The same applies in Canada. Allowing unfettered propagation of the “global R E S E T” disinformation will lead to violence, if PM Trudeau decides to act and declare a national emergency.
All while Kenney continues to stoke the fire of provincial purview and “liberty.”
Enough is enough! The far right is attempting to throw Canada into chaos.
Attacking healthcare infrastructure and capacity by allowing COVid to spread unchecked IS a planned and calculated strategy to consolidate power, it’s not incompetence.
Mr. Morgan’s actions are accessory to mass deaths, widespread morbidity, collapse of healthcare infrastructure, depletion of medical personnel and hospital staff.
Because that will be the result of failing to trust physicians pleas for a lockdown in Alberta.
Another phrase to describe it would be genocidal ineptitude. Sadistic policy. Demagoguery.
It’s on par with NOT shouting fire in a crowded theatre when it’s on fire. And locking the exits.
This is the point Canada has reached by placing trust in radical extremism. Five conservative premiers and one NDP are refusing to protect public health. Every day of indecision and failure to act drives COVid deeper into the population.