Alberta
Conservatives say Federal Government cancelled ‘prescribed burn’ which may have saved Jasper
Photo from Parks Canada – Jasper Fire, Cabin Creek
From the Facebook page of Conservative MP Dan Mazier
BOMBSHELL EVIDENCE
From Red Deer MP Blaine Calkins
Trudeau’s Radical Environment Minister confirms he was briefed on the serious likelihood of a catastrophic fire in Jasper. But he cannot confirm what direction he gave to immediately clear the deadwood tinder box around Jasper. Experts warned. Liberals ignored.
News release from the Conservative Party
Over the past few years, consecutive Liberal Environment Ministers refused to listen to experts when they warned repeatedly that Jasper National Park was at “serious risk of a catastrophic fire.” But they took no action, and now one-third of Jasper has been destroyed, a firefighter lost their life, while peoples’ livelihoods have been destroyed.
This was made clear in a House of Commons’ Committee yesterday when Trudeau’s radical Environment Minister, Steven Guilbeault, said “there was no stopping this fire.” But this is nothing more than a lie. The Liberal Government has been warned for years that Jasper National Park was at risk. In 2016, Conservatives first raised the alarm that pine beetles and poor forestry management had made Jasper vulnerable to wildfires, but the Liberals ignored our warnings.
Following that, two scientists in 2017-2018, tried to warn the Liberal Government about the growing threat of a wildfire. They wrote to then-Liberal Environment Minister, Catherine McKenna, saying that a century of fire suppression, combined with a warming climate and the mountain pine beetle epidemic, made the likelihood of a major fire “a matter of when, not if.” But all along they were met with condescension and denialism. On top of this, local residents even launched a pressure campaign, calling on Jasper National Park to begin taking actions to mitigate the wildfire risk, but consecutive Liberal ministers did nothing.
Now, Canadians have discovered that Parks Canada prioritized political optics over prescribed burns. In an email, a senior Parks Canada director wrote “at what point do we make the organizational decision to cancel prescribed burns in Western Canada? … Public and political perception may become more important than actual prescription windows.”
The catastrophic wildfire that occurred in Jasper National Park this summer has not alleviated the risk of another disaster. The threat to communities in Jasper National Park will persist unless the Liberal Government fundamentally changes its approach to forest management, but it’s clear Steven Guilbeault is in denial.
Alberta
Alberta government should reform hospital funding to help shorten wait times
From the Fraser Institute
By Mackenzie Moir and Alicia Kardos
Other high-performing countries with universal health care (Australia, Germany, Switzerland) use “activity-based funding.” Under this model, hospitals receive funding based on the amount of care they provide.
Earlier this year, the Alberta Medical Association sounded the alarm on “rolling surgical outages,” patients diverted to other treatment sites, and the potential capping of services at major provincial hospitals. Unfortunately, the delays these problems create aren’t new to Albertans, as patients continue to face lengthy wait times.
According to the latest data, Albertan patients faced a median wait time of 33.5 weeks in 2022 for non-emergency medical treatment, a delay that was nearly six weeks longer than the national average, and three times longer than what patients in the province experienced in 1993 (when national estimates were first published).
When broken down, the wait in Alberta includes the first 16.4 weeks it takes for a patient to see a specialist after referral from their family doctor—then a second wait of 17.2 weeks to receive treatment after seeing that specialist. And these figures don’t account for the wait to see a GP in the first place, which is a significant issue in a rapidly growing province where remain without a family doctor.
Of course, we hear the predicable calls for more money. But in reality, spending more won’t get Albertans out of this problem. In a recent comparison of high-income countries with universal coverage, Canada (in 2021) was already one of the highest spenders on health care (as a share of their economy) while having some of the fewest doctors and hospital beds (after accounting for differences in population age among countries).
And when compared to nine other high-income countries in 2020, Canadians were found to have the longest waits for medical care. Specifically, Canadians were the least likely to report waiting under four months for non-emergency surgery (at 62 per cent) compared to higher-performing countries such as Australia (72 per cent), Switzerland (94 per cent) and Germany (99 per cent).
So what’s the solution?
In a word, reform. For example, Alberta could change the way it funds hospitals. Canada’s predominant approach is to provide hospitals a set amount of money each year, regardless of the level of services provided. This means that the money hospitals receive isn’t tied to the actual number of services they provide. This discourages hospitals from providing more care because each patient represents a drain on their budget rather than an opportunity.
In contrast, many other high-performing countries with universal health care (Australia, Germany, Switzerland) use “activity-based funding.” Under this model, hospitals receive funding based on the amount of care they provide. This creates a powerful incentive for hospitals to treat more patients, because each patient represents an opportunity for the hospital to earn more money.
Quebec decided in last year to fund all of its surgical procedures using this model, and now plans to expand the model to all hospital care by 2027/28. The Smith government has also taken some steps that lay the foundation for these types of reforms. This is good news for Albertans, if reform is actually on the way.
Across Canada, despite the availability of solutions, the status quo of long waits persists. Breaking from the past can be hard, but there may be hope on the horizon for patients in Alberta’s beleaguered and poorly performing health-care system.
Authors:
Alberta
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame receives Alberta Heritage Award for Outstanding Achievement
From the Province of Alberta and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
Celebrating Albertans who protect our history
Sixteen Albertans and organizations are being recognized for helping preserve and celebrate Alberta’s history at the 2024 Heritage Awards.
The Heritage Awards, which are presented every two years, recognize the people, organizations and communities that are actively engaged in heritage promotion, protection and preservation. Awards are bestowed in three categories: Heritage Awareness, Heritage Conservation and Outstanding Achievement. This year’s awards presentation was held on Sept. 26 in Edmonton at the Queen Elizabeth II Building.
From Tracey Kinsella, Executive Director of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
We are excited to announce that we were honoured with the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Heritage Award last night, presented by the Government of Alberta. It was a truly memorable evening filled with celebration, and we are both humbled and proud to be recognized for our contributions.
This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, and we are grateful to be acknowledged among such incredible individuals and organizations.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us on this journey—we look forward to sharing this achievement with our community.
From the Province of Alberta
“Across the province, dedicated Albertans are keeping the stories of the people, places and events in our history alive. We are glad to have the opportunity to honor the Albertans who work passionately, often as volunteers, on conservation and awareness of Alberta’s heritage. Their commitment will help ensure that our stories continue to be told and remembered for many years to come.”
Alberta’s government salutes the winners and nominees of these Heritage Awards, and thanks them for their continued dedication to preserving, protecting and promoting Alberta’s unique heritage and culture.
The 2024 recipients are:
Heritage Awareness
- Beaver Hills Biosphere Region Association for the Beaver Hills Biosphere Video Project
- Clearwater County for the Nordegg Discovery Center Renewal Project
- YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Center for The Rogues’ Gallery
- Kyle Schole for the North Saskatchewan River (kisiskâciwani-sîpiy) Canadian Heritage River Designation Project
- Chief Sydney Lee Halcrow & Chief Roderick Willier for Oti Nekan – Treaty No. 8 125th Anniversary Celebration
- Sheri Peyerl for the book Alberta’s Cornerstone: Archaeological Adventures in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park
Heritage Conservation
- Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society for the Buttermaker’s House Restoration Project
- Sexsmith & District Museum Society for the Alberta Wheat Pool Grain Elevator Preservation Project
- Lacombe Heritage Resources Committee for the Lacombe Heritage Survey and Designation Program
- Dr. Peter Dawson for the Digitally Preserving Alberta’s Diverse Cultural Heritage Project
Outstanding Achievement
- Crowsnest Historical Society, Coleman
- Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, Red Deer
- Dr. France Levasseur-Ouimet, Edmonton
- Karen Copley, Airdrie
- Donna Nelson, Innisfail
The Heritage Awards program reflects Alberta’s commitment to heritage preservation throughout Alberta. A total of 97 awards have been presented to recipients from across the province since the program rebooted in 2005.
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