INNISFAIL – Town council is united in supporting Mayor Jean Barclay’s determined stance not to bow to demands from local opponents to COVID restrictions while serving notice each councillor will march along side her in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to follow provincially mandated ministerial orders.
The six town councillors were presented with a motion from Barclay at their regular council meeting on Jan. 10 that the town continue to comply with the Government of Alberta COVID-19 health orders and that it not ask the province to lift facility restrictions. The motion was approved unanimously.
Barclay told council that Alberta Health Services recently confirmed to the town it had been fully compliant with all ministerial orders.
She also said community citizens are “keenly aware” of the escalating risk of the Omicron variant, which is threatening the country’s entire health care system.
“We also received a lot of feedback from many citizens who want the province and us to stay the course, and we also received correspondence from people who want to see greater restrictions that are currently in place,” said Barclay, adding since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020 the town has followed the Government of Alberta, “whether they are adding restrictions or lifting restrictions."
“We have always had this mindset that we will follow the experts,” she said.
The mayor first introduced the initiative to council on Dec. 20 as a notice of motion. Following repeated delegation appearances vehemently opposing provincially mandated COVID restrictions, Barclay’s initiative was intended to formalize the town’s position to faithfully follow the provincial government’s lead on COVID-battling guidelines and restrictions.
The move also has a goal to blunt repeated attempts by COVID-restriction delegations who either repeatedly asked council to do away with the provincially-mandated restrictions, or lobby on their behalf to have them removed.
“I don’t know whether it will or not. We’ve listened to them four times now. We’ve received emails and other correspondence at the town office from this delegation,” said Barclay, adding information packages were sent to delegations outlining provincial ministerial orders, and how town facilities are being operated.
“It was important to take a formal stance saying where we are on this matter. I am putting my faith and my trust in the public health experts that are guiding us through this.”
Coun. Don Harrison said he has listened and researched the views and opinions from both sides of the debate but noted the current numbers of positive COVID cases in the region from the Omicron variant are now “off the chart."
“You can see how this monster is growing,” said Harrison, adding citizens he meets in public are telling him to ‘stay the course. You are doing the right thing'.
“The numbers aren’t good. They are headed up again,” he added. “I watch international television, and Innisfail is not unique. These numbers are increasing all over the world.”
Coun. Gavin Bates said the pandemic has been a continuous adaptation and learning experience for everyone. He once again added council does not have the jurisdiction or expertise to “not follow” the provincial government.
“If I don’t have access to the expertise, which I don’t, then I don’t even want the jurisdiction,” said Bates. “The people that have the jurisdiction have behind them millions of dollars worth of budget, and are employing experts and or interacting with jurisdictions around the world to make their best decisions.”
Barclay’s motion presentation, and the accompanying supportive responses by council members, were heard from a handful of citizens, including opponents to council’s stance on COVID management, who physically attended the council meeting. This included Innisfailian Iris Reimer who has made several prior delegation presentations.
Responding to council during the meeting’s closing open mike session, Reimer told council that delegations appearing before them don’t always say or ask for the same things.
She said one prior shared concern was over the Restrictions Exemption Program, while another dealt with discrimination. Reimer added the third focused on constitutionally protected rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On Jan. 10 she pointed out what was being asked of council was to speak for citizens on their behalf on an issue involving the province that was impacting the town, like the letter of support in 2020 for doctors during their contract dispute with the Alberta government.
“You already did in the past for the doctors of this town when you, mayor Barclay, had council write a letter to the provincial government in March 2020 advocating for the doctors,” said Reimer, adding that on Dec. 13, 2021 a delegation asked council to write a letter to the province about their concerns with COVID restrictions.
In 2020 Barclay was only a town councillor when the letter was approved by council. The March 16, 2020 letter to then Health Minister Tyler Shandro was signed by then mayor Jim Romane and sent on behalf of all council members. It was copied to Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Devin Dreeshen.
The letter expressed council’s concerns of the potential impacts to the quality of health care to Alberta citizens due to physician pay model changes, and the potential impacts it could have on service quality, particularly the Innisfail Emergency Department, as well as the ongoing work from rural Alberta communities, such as Innisfail, to recruit and retain doctors.
