TORONTO – Last July in Alberta practically all anti-Covid restrictions were eliminated. Prime Minister Jason Kenney, in fact, had implemented his “Open for Summer Plan”, a three-phase plan to reopen the economy that came into force at the beginning of June with which the former minister of the Harper government takes a different path from that of the other premiers. While in the rest of the provinces the line of a prudent reopening had been chosen, following the suggestions of the various technical scientific committees, in Alberta Kenney had opted for the “everything and immediately” approach. 

A strategy that had been greeted with skepticism by the scientific community in the face of the threat posed by the Delta variant and the risk of a fourth wave of Covid. Throughout the month of August, Alberta has seen a progressive increase in infections with an exponential growth far above that of the other provinces. On September 4, Kenney was forced to reintroduce some timid restrictions, such as the obligation to wear a mask in indoor public spaces. On September 16, a new late crackdown arrived, followed by that of September 20.

Today, according to experts, the province pays dearly for these hasty decisions.

Provincial health care is on the brink of the abyss. Almost all 380 beds in intensive care are occupied, over a thousand people are hospitalized for complications due to Covid-19 infection. But to understand the scale of the health catastrophe that is taking place in Alberta you have to go and get the national data.

According to the numbers released yesterday by the Federal Ministry of Health, at this moment throughout Canada there are 44,007 active cases of Covid-19: of these almost half – to be precise 20,306 – are found in Alberta. We are talking about a province of 4.4 million inhabitants. In Ontario, where 14.7 million people reside, the active cases of Covid are 4,989, a quarter of those of Alberta.

Faced with this desperate situation, he continues to discuss the line decided by Kenney. The premier, accused in the past of having taken too lax positions towards Covid and of having flirted too much with the no vax and anti-lockdown sentiments that circulated – and still circulate – in his province – continues to go on his way, attracting criticism and controversy to no end.

On Wednesday, the latest appeal from the Canadian Medical Association fell on deaf ears. The association that brings together Canadian doctors had asked for the activation of targeted lockdowns to curb the chain of contagion in the most affected areas, a proposal rejected by the premier.

In recent days, various provinces, the last of which Newfoundland and Labrador no later than Tuesday, had offered Alberta concrete help, such as sending intensive care machinery and health personnel, liquidated by the premier with a hasty “no thanks”.

Ottawa has also moved to come to the aid of the province so badly affected by the pandemic. The federal government has made available the army that is currently on stand-by, since the final green light from the prime minister himself is missing. Meanwhile, the situation is deteriorating. In the last twenty-four there have been 1,682 new cases accompanied by 34 deaths.