Trudeau rejects Alberta cabinet minister accusation he wants COVID health disaster

EDMONTON — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is rejecting an accusation from Alberta’s justice minister that the federal government is part of a trio rooting for the province’s health system to collapse due to COVID-19.

Trudeau says it’s a shame to see that kind of finger pointing when everyone is focused on quickly and safely ending the pandemic.

Alberta has recently seen COVID-19 case counts that are the highest in North America, and Trudeau notes that he reached out to Premier Jason Kenney and big city Alberta mayors last week to offer any further support if called upon.

Last week, Kenney introduced new public health restrictions, warning that the provincial health system was otherwise on course to be overwhelmed in a matter of weeks.

Madu, in a Facebook post last Friday, defended the new rules, adding the federal Liberals along with the provincial Opposition NDP and the media are looking for and want to see the health system collapse.

Madu was not made available for an interview, but his spokesman has said Madu stands by the remark.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2021.

The Canadian Press