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David Shepherd Profile picture
David Shepherd
@DShepYEG
MLA for Edmonton-City Centre • Opposition Critic for Health - Primary & Rural Care • Cyclist • Musician • Mild Comic Book Geek •
Dec 21, 2023 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
This is damning.

After warnings about a coming wave of respiratory viruses the UCP deliberately undermined & weakened the fall immunization campaign.

They chose increasing pressure on a fragile healthcare system & exhausted workers over alienating their political base. #ableg So everything you see in our healthcare system right now - care in hallways, triple-bunked rooms, delays to kid’s chemotherapy, all of the current chaos, pressure & indignity for patients & healthcare workers…

The UCP gov’t chose to let it get worse than it had to. #ableg Image
Oct 18, 2023 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
As of today, more Albertans than ever before have no access to a family doctor.

Today, Health Min. LaGrange claimed she was ready to outline how the UCP intend to meet that challenge.

Sadly, it appears they utterly fail to understand the urgency of the crisis at hand. #ableg Image The UCP have released the reports from the Modernizing AB's Primary Health Care System panels set up last Sept.

These reports were delivered to them 6 months ago.

And with this release, the Minister's plan is to...create another task force to report in another 6 months. #ableg
Feb 21, 2023 • 10 tweets • 6 min read
On 02/20/20 the UCP began their war on doctors, tearing up their agreement then imposing a new framework in the midst of a pandemic.

3 yrs later, over 650K Albertans lack a primary care provider & >30 rural hospitals are fully or partially closed due to a lack of doctors. #ableg And it was, in fact, a war - far more than a simple disagreement.

The UCP deliberately made it harder for family doctors to be able to earn enough to keep their clinics running while forcing them to learn a pile of new billing codes.

#ableg
Feb 18, 2023 • 8 tweets • 5 min read
Danielle Smith & the UCP want you to think everything in healthcare is fine, to forget the deep impacts of the chaos they’ve caused.

Albertans like Lori Harsh know the truth. Yesterday, she shared about her friend, Deborah who’s been waiting 2 months to see an oncologist. #ableg Image Deb Williams was diagnosed with cancer in late Nov. A few weeks later, a biopsy confirmed it was cholangiocarcinoma a rare & aggressive cancer.

In early January, she was told that due to a “backlog” it’d be 6-8 weeks before she could see an oncologist & begin treatment. #ableg Image
Sep 27, 2021 • 10 tweets • 4 min read
In my role as critic for Health, I've been getting some heartbreaking emails from frontline HCWs, like this one from an experienced ICU/ER RN to their UCP MLA:

"It's so hard for me to even formulate into words the things I have witnessed over the past 18 or so months." #ableg "I've witnessed so many heartbreaking things; people gasping for air as they try to talk to family members over FaceTime before we have had to intubate them, families being restricted access to be with loved ones at bedsides in the ER." #ableg
Sep 25, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
As frontline healthcare workers are battling the growing 4th wave enabled by Jason Kenney & his gov't, MLA Shane Getson suggests the real blame lies w/ our healthcare system not being ready for a deluge of hundreds of unvaccinated ICU patients.

What incredible ignorance. #ableg Image Let's be clear - this crisis isn't due to a failure of our healthcare system, this crisis is 100% due to the failure of Jason Kenney & every UCP Min & MLA - incl. Getson - who sat back & refused to act as the 4th wave began to wash across our province. #ableg
Aug 17, 2021 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
53 Albertans' have had their surgeries delayed as the Royal Alex is forced to close 4 ORs due to having no physicians to supervise post-care.

And once reopened, *one* jr. resident will supervise *120* patients - "a situation which, I think you'll all agree, is NOT safe." #ableg Just weeks ago, Min. @shandro was insisting everything was fine, those raising concerns were lying & “surgeries are happening as they need throughout the province."

Meanwhile, the RAH was scrambling to find staff needed to for post-op supervision.
edmonton.ctvnews.ca/shandro-says-n… #ableg
Aug 17, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
More impacts of Jason Kenney & the UCP's choice to fight with doctors while letting COVID-19 push our healthcare system to the limits.

53 Albertans' surgeries are being delayed as 4 ORs are closed due to a shortage of physicians to provide oversight in hospital. #ableg I have to question how "unexpected" this situation was.

For months, I've been hearing concerns from physicians on the ground about a shortage of hospitalists to provide oversight for post-surgical patients. Of the pressures that were building. #ableg
Apr 5, 2021 • 13 tweets • 5 min read
I'm proud to be a politician who lives in the community I represent.

I enjoy being out in the community & running into constituents. And I'm generally pretty comfortable that many of them know where I live.

But sadly, some take advantage of that openness. Like today.🧵#ableg About 40 min ago, my doorbell rang. I opened to find a gentleman w/ two dogs standing at the bottom of my steps.

He introduced himself as my neighbor. I said hello to him, asked his dogs' names & said hello to them.

Then he asked my thoughts on "lockdowns." #ableg
Feb 11, 2021 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
This is excellent news for Alberta doctors & long overdue.

For months, Min. @shandro has used their Physician & Family Support Program as a bargaining chip in his fight w/ physicians, creating fear & uncertainty while they faced down a global pandemic. #ableg Even as Alberta doctors dealt w/ the incredible pressures forced on them by Jason Kenney's refusal to take action to slow the 2nd wave of COVID-19, @shandro cont'd playing games w/ the program in place to support & protect their mental health.

#ableg
Jan 27, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
Min @shandro continues to insist the UCP gov't can't possibly provide a plan for vaccine rollout until they have more supply.

Every province faces the same challenge, but others have shown leadership in releasing a transparent order of eligibility once vaccines arrives. #ableg Image To use an analogy, people aren't asking for the gov't to release a train schedule with guaranteed times they're just asking for map of the order of stops & info on what's being considered in planning the route.

That's what Ontario & BC have provided for their residents. #ableg
Jan 25, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
Today we called for Jason Kenney to provide Albertans with a clear, detailed plan for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Canadians in other provinces are being given a clear plan, but for many Albertans, he's only offered confusion. #ableg Image Now, this isn't about vaccine availability. All provinces are facing supply shortages. Provinces like BC & ON have still published rollout plans w/ specific details about who will be vaccinated in each phase & in what order as supplies arrive.

Albertans deserve no less. #ableg
Jan 3, 2021 • 22 tweets • 10 min read
5 days ago, as @TracyAllardUCP, vice-chair of the UCP's Emergency Management Committee sat in Hawaii, it convened to discuss serious delays in vaccinations. Jason

Kenney & Tyler Shandro made excuses. Then AHS quietly released this.

Albertans are rightly concerned. #ableg In the midst of justified anger re: travel, we can't let this get lost. It reveals a fundamental flaw in Kenney's character - his skewed priorities & the lack of leadership or accountability that've clearly infected or perhaps informed his recruitment of Ministers & MLAs #ableg
Jan 2, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
So, @PatRehnUCP, you know who had a busy Oct-Dec?

Frontline healthcare workers as they dealt with rapidly rising COVID case #s & begged your gov’t to take action on it.

They didn’t get to take a Xmas vacation to Mexico. They buckled down to work through the holidays. #ableg All of those doctors, nurses, HCAs & others had to cancel a lot of previous plans to deal w/ the results of your Leader & gov't's refusal to act sooner to bring #s under control.

And they kept working while watching your gov't fumble w/ vaccinations they desperately need. #ableg
Jan 1, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I'm stunned by the audacity & entitlement in Jason Kenney's statements today.

An utter refusal to acknowledge the insult of his gov't members' actions to 1000s of Albertans or to accept any actual responsibility which would mean taking action, imposing consequences. #ableg These are the rules currently in place.

Jason Kenney’s Minister & MLAs deliberately ignored them while the vast majority of Albertans made sacrifices & stayed home because they didn’t have their arrogance or privilege. #ableg
Jan 1, 2021 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
As we wait to hear from @jkenney, it's important to remember, whatever the circumstances of Min Allard's trip, he had to know that his Min of Muni Affairs, in charge of emergency management & vice-chair of the UCP COVID Cabinet Committee was leaving to vacation in Hawaii. #ableg He had to have known this & approved her decision to leave - in the midst of a pandemic, against federal & provincial travel advisories, & as the UCP gov't's plan for crucially important vaccine roll-out was falling far short.

He had to know. #ableg
Dec 31, 2020 • 11 tweets • 7 min read
I heard from many ABns this year angered & frustrated by the actions of Jason Kenney & the UCP but feeling powerless & asking what they could do.

My 1st answer was always to speak out & protest - loudly & often, in emails to gov't, on social media, letters to the editor. #ableg And you know what? It had an effect.

It's because 1000s of Albertans organized, wrote emails & letters, put up signs & showed up at virtual townhalls that @jkenney, @JasonNixonAB & the UCP seems to have backed down on their plans to sell parks.

cbc.ca/news/canada/ed… #ableg
Dec 9, 2020 • 18 tweets • 8 min read
I've taken some time to consider & process what we heard today from our Premier, Jason Kenney.

I have to say - while I'm glad to see these steps being taken, I didn't see leadership. I saw evasion, justification & a refusal to take responsibility. #ableg #COVID19AB The Premier spoke of how those in government can too easily think of their policies as abstractions, or our lives together – social & community activity – as a switch government can just flick on & off. #ableg
Oct 18, 2020 • 6 tweets • 4 min read
Wishing a happy Healthcare Aide Day to all of the HCAs who've been on the frontlines caring for Albertans throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for all your hard work & sacrifice under often difficult circumstances to protect & support the health of so many. #ableg And as the UCP moves to cut 11,000 healthcare jobs as part of a drive for more privatization, it's important to recognize the impact that direction has had on HCAs, particularly in private long-term/continuing care. #ableg
Oct 18, 2020 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
A disturbing moment for our province.

A majority of UCP members vote in favor of breaching the Canada Health Act by introducing a full Americanized healthcare system in AB.

Of course, it isn't surprising given Kenney & UCP's record speaking about public healthcare. #ableg It begins 20 years ago w/ Jason Kenney pledging to "encourage the provinces to develop their own policing mechanism for the Canada Health Act. In addition, it would not unilaterally punish provinces that expand private health care."

theglobeandmail.com/news/national/… #ableg
Oct 17, 2020 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Strong piece from @shmitzysays on Kenney's cowardice & deceit re: health care cuts:

"It’s one thing to push austerity & privatization if you believe they'll work for [Albertans], but if that was the case, these guys would stand like grownups & answer questions about it." #ableg "Seriously. If everything [Kenney & the UCP] implement is so damn good for the collective, why are they afraid of answering questions about it? Why do they feel the need to handpick the media they speak to?"

medicinehatnews.com/commentary/opi… #ableg