Thread by @Norlaine

Um, I have questions. 1/11 #abhealth #AbLeg #abpoli

https://twitter.com/ZiadFazel/status/1424832087694069760

If the CMOH and the UCP are basing their policy decisions on the "science", i.e. the data and modeling, shouldn't they have that data and modeling sitting right in front of them? Ok, maybe it needs tidying up for presentation... 2/11

But surely a week is long enough to put some slides together? You have a bunch of highly paid communications people. Surely they could do something useful, like make the data ready to be presented? 3/11

What use is another update if there is no data to discuss? Shouldn't the "data" and "science" be the lead point in all of this? You can't just say, "Oh, it's based on science" and leave it there. Surely you didn't imagine no one would want to see the numbers? 4/11

I would have thought an announcement as big as lifting all restrictions and stopping #TestTraceIsolateAB would have begun with a presentation of the data. You know, lay out the facts, then offer your conclusions. As one does in a proper persuasive argument. 5/11

The appearance of secrecy around the data upon which decisions were made is not confidence-inspiring. It suggests three possible scenarios. None of them look good for the UCP, by the way. 6/11

Scenario 1: The data is valid, but Jason Kenney and the UCP are authoritarian control freaks who cannot bear to have their will questioned, and do not feel like sharing information. The proles don't need to know. 7/11

Scenario 2: Regardless of the validity of the data, Jason Kenney and the UCP think Albertans are dumb as a sack of hammers, so what is the point of showing them data? They should all just go back to roping cows or whatever, and not worry about it. 8/11

Scenario 3: There is no credible data to support lifting #TestTraceIsolateAB Somehow they thought that if they used the magic words, "science, data, & modeling" it would be ok. Everyone would just give a wonderstruck "oh!" and accept the decision. It doesn't work like that. 9/11

Finally, if the reason they can't cough up the data is they are waiting for more data to come in, then what the dickens are they doing, making a decision of this magnitude based on incomplete data?!? 10/11

This is, at best, egregiously poor handling of a major policy announcement. At worst, it smacks of political gains-taking which could be very detrimental to the public good. 11/11