UCP Leadership Candidates Q&A

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On July 7, we sent five questions to each of the UCP Leadership candidates to get their position on the issues that are most important to our members.  We gave them until July 22 to respond, and sent two reminders in the interim.  We received responses from only two candidates: DANIELLE SMITH and TODD LOEWEN.  Their answers are below. 

DANIELLE SMITH

1. What did you personally do to advocate for the health & well being of children during the pandemic? 

I was very outspoken about the damage of lock downs on radio, and in podcasts for the Western Standard. I directly supported the work of advocacy groups including Families For Choice because it was clear restrictions on children were doing more harm than good.

My early source of information was Dr Ari Joffe, Pediatric Critical Care Specialist at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. He warned we would have 10x the number of years of life lost due to broader health and mortality impacts, family breakdown and poverty, as a result of shutting down society for prolonged periods of time.

2. What is your response to the “massive increase in non-COVID-19 related mortality among the youth” during the pandemic? (Study: Excess Deaths during COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta Canada)

I am heartbroken to know that youth were so over-represented in excess deaths in Alberta.  This proves the government’s approach to managing the pandemic didn’t work.  Young people were lost to preventable tragedies such as addiction, drug overdose, suicide, and undiagnosed and untreated illness.  

Our young people have suffered inexcusable harm and trauma.  Families have been devastated and we must help.  My great fear is that we are on the precipice of a generational mental health crisis, the true extent of which may not be known for years. As Premier, I will address this immediately.

3. As Premier, how will you prioritize the health & well being of Albertan children?

I am hearing that mental health is the number one concern for parents, who are also worried about physical health, learning loss, and support for additional needs.  That is why I have committed to not closing schools or locking down again. Focussed protection of our most vulnerable Albertans has to be the new approach.

I will address the current overwhelm of pediatric mental health services and professionals in our province.  And each Albertan will receive $300 in a personal Health Spending Account to pay for services not covered by Alberta Health, such as counseling and other therapies, physiotherapy, chiropractic etc.

4. Will you guarantee that no Albertan child will be excluded from fully participating in society or otherwise be discriminated against because of their COVID-19 vaccination status?

Yes – guaranteed.  Under my leadership, there will be no lock downs, vaccine mandates or passports.  Your kids will be free to participate fully in school, activities, camps and life.  You will be able to accompany them everywhere regardless of your vaccination status.

I will amend the Alberta Human Rights Act so neither you nor your children can be discriminated against for your medical choices or political beliefs. And if Ottawa tries to attack our Charter Rights and Freedoms again, we will not allow those policies to be enforced here.  The freedom, health and well being of Albertan children are non-negotiable.

5. Is there anything else you would like our members to know?

I am SO proud of how you all demonstrated the courage and grit to stand up for children during a difficult and traumatic time.  It is largely through your efforts that the Alberta government was persuaded to “let kids be kids”. Your advocacy has moved mountains for Albertan families, most of whom will never know what you did for them.  Thank you!

I need your help to support your family as Premier.  Please ensure everyone in your household aged 14+ joins the UCP for $10 BEFORE August 12 so they can vote for me. Join now at www.daniellesmith.ca

TODD LOEWEN

1. What did you personally do to advocate for the health & well being of children during the pandemic?

I believe that I was a consistent, passionate, and principled voice for children during the pandemic. In statements in the Legislature, media, and privately in caucus, I expressed my concerns about the secondary harms of lock downs, mandates, and school closures. Eventually, I was left with no choice but to criticize the government and excessive powers of the Premier directly, which led to my expulsion from caucus.

I continued to speak against these restrictions while meeting with children and parents affected by them. I stand by my belief that truth must prevail and it must be told, even at a cost.

2.  What is your response to the “massive increase in non-COVID-19 related  mortality among the youth” during the pandemic? (Study: Excess Deaths during COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta Canada)

My first action upon seeing this study was to draw light upon the truth. I  shared my serious concerns about excess mortality publicly, through social media and in the Legislature. During Question Period, I asked the Health Minister directly about this troubling trend.

I am deeply alarmed at this information, but equally disappointed by the indifference and lack of intellectual curiosity shown by the bureaucracy and media. We deserve answers and I am committed to tracking them down in my role as an MLA. If “the cure cannot be worse than the disease,” it’s clear we’ve missed the mark. 

3. As Premier, how will you prioritize the health & well being of Albertan children?

Any responsible government must first acknowledge and respect the many essential characteristics and needs of the child. These include not only mental and physical health, but also their nature as social beings, their need for development and challenge, their spiritual well-being, and their basic economic needs (typically as provided by their families).

As Premier, I will commit to this holistic approach to addressing the well-being of Albertan children. I will ensure that the tunnel vision of public health bureaucrats during COVID is not allowed to be repeated.

4.  Will you guarantee that no Albertan child will be excluded from fully  participating in society or otherwise be discriminated against because  of their COVID-19 vaccination status?

Absolutely. I have already publicly released my plan to end all future uses of a vaccine passport system, as I believe that forms of coercion are, in effect, the equivalent of making them mandatory. “No mandatory vaccines” ought to mean “no coercive measures” either.

I will amend the Public Health Act to rule out the use of vaccine passports, then amend privacy legislation to prevent compelled disclosure of vaccine status to third parties. I will terminate the QR code system, shutting the door on its future use.

5. Is there anything else you would like our members to know?

I  have spoken with many educators, parents, and childcare workers. I have been shocked to hear the stories that are now emerging. We have seen evidence of huge increases in the need for counseling services at school. I have had conversations with teachers who inform me that academic achievement has fallen drastically. 

There absolutely MUST be an acknowledgement that the actions we took were mistaken, and that children and middle-class families paid the dearest price. I have consistently sought the truth, as leaders must.