An NDP motion to make Alberta's chief medical officer of health more independent was defeated Wednesday by UCP MLAs on a committee examining changes to the public health act. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, currently operates in an advisory role to cabinet. "In something as important as a public health emergency, I think the public deserves to hear public health advice without having to be concerned about the possibility of political filtering." In her testimony to the committee on Aug. 27, Hinshaw said there were advantages and disadvantages to the different ways a chief medical officer of health could perform their role. "The chief medical officer of health doesn't control the education budget, doesn't control the health budget," said Edmonton Glenora MLA Sarah Hoffman, the NDP critic for education.

Source: CBC News September 30, 2020 22:30 UTC