Dr. Paul Parks, AMA emergency medicine section president. (CHAT News file photo)

By Alex McCuaig

transparency equals clarity

Top ER doctor asking for transparency in Alberta’s pandemic response

Nov 26, 2020 | 12:06 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A top Alberta ER doctor says the province needs more transparency in its decision-making process after reporting by CBC indicates discord between public health officials and elected officials.

“With increased transparency comes increased clarity,” said Medicine Hat’s Dr. Paul Parks, Alberta Medical Association emergency medicine section president.

Parks said if Albertans are to have confidence in the province’s response to the pandemic then the advice health officials are giving to Premier Jason Kenney and cabinet members should be revealed, adding he understands these are tough decisions for politicians to consider.

If actions are taken outside of the public health recommendations, “in a pandemic like this, maybe the onus would be on government to explain very clearly to Albertans why they would deviate from the scientific and medical advice,” said Parks.

Such a move would address some of the issues raised regarding why certain actions are taken or not, he added.

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“One of the reasons this is an issue is that Albertans aren’t sure what advice the chief medical officer of health is giving to cabinet and what advice is being taken,” said Parks. “And because of that confusion, it will add a lot of weight to concerns when tapes get leaked, when people have a perception that there is discord or that they are not working together as a team.”

The theme of providing more information to Albertans is something Alberta’s NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley is pushing for as well in light of the leaked information, calling for an independent panel of health experts to be established.

“They would report directly to the people of Alberta with the data the government has refused to release up until now and they would provide unfiltered recommendations based on their professional and scientific expertise,” said Notley during a Thursday press conference.

She called the leaked information an example of a dysfunctional relationship between public health officials and the UCP government.

The president of the province’s largest union says the leaked information is just another example of its disregard for public health care workers.

“It’s pulled the veil back from something that we’ve all suspected for a long time,” said Guy Smith, AUPE president. “That this government is not interested in listening to the scientists and the experts and they are ideologically driven to make decisions.”