ROUNDUP OF ALBERTA NEWS
Inspired by Verna Milligan & Carol Wodak
THE COLLECTION

The sharp rise in active COVID-19 cases over the past week should be seen as a “wake-up call” by every Albertan.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health,

THE LEAD:
Premier rejects harm reduction model during funding announcement for new addiction recovery centres
Handing somebody who’s deep in addiction a needle is not a continuum of care. I don’t even think it’s terribly compassionate simply to facilitate an addiction rather than to offer a full spectrum of services for recovery and lifetime treatment.
Jason Kenney
Last week, the province cut off funding to charitable organization ARCHES, which runs Lethbridge’s only supervised consumption site, one of the busiest sites in the country, after an audit found $1.6 million of unaccounted for public money.
A report last year found the province’s sites, including ARCHES, have a 100 per cent success rate at reversing overdoses. The sites also provide other services, like emergency medical care, education on the harms of drug use, and referrals to other social services like counselling.
The government also cut funding for a last-resort opioid treatment program earlier this year.

Some Alberta school boards reviewing links with WE Charity
Alberta school divisions are contemplating their future relationships with the charitable organization that has sparked probes of the federal government.
Alberta’s two largest school boards, Edmonton Public Schools and the Calgary Board of Education, said their relationships with WE Charity are under review, spokespeople said in separate statements on Friday.
Calgary Catholic Schools has “not yet determined” future participation in WE Day events, according to a statement from that division.
Red Deer Public Schools will also look at the issue, spokesperson Bruce Buruma said in an email.
“As to future involvement we have not had those discussions at this point but will review once we can connect with stakeholders,” he said.
A few of the boards declined to disclose more information about their review processes or timelines.

So I have to agree with @TheAUMA – what I see in Bill 29 is Jason Kenney & the UCP setting them & their monied allies up to put a thumb on the scale in the 2021 municipal elections, complete w/ kamikaze campaigns like the one that helped make him Premier. #ableg pic.twitter.com/9KC2uaUqsn
— David Shepherd 🚲 (@DShepYEG) July 24, 2020
For too long, municipal election rules meant a significant advantage for incumbents, meaning a serious barrier to entry for any new candidates.@KayceeMaduYEG's Bill 29, passed this week, will help level the playing field, and as an added bonus, give a boost to local charities. pic.twitter.com/r5U6eTV70j
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) July 25, 2020
Bill 32 is a brazen, anti-democratic attack that would set workers’ rights back generations, all so @jkenney can tip the scales in favour of his executive boardroom buddies.
We will fight this.https://t.co/rduT4G7rk9 #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #ablabour #cdnlabour
— Mark Hancock (@MarkHancockCUPE) July 10, 2020
Today, Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell is assenting to 10 bills passed in the #ableg this session.
Watch LIVE as she proclaims these ten important pieces of legislation into law. https://t.co/nPPNGi7aJK
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) July 23, 2020


