MLA flyer declaring “worst COVID-19 pandemic behind” sent in September: UCP

A flyer sent by the United Conservative Party’s MLA Miranda Rosin was not warmly welcomed by some residents during her run to Banff-Kananaskis.

The first line of the message states, “With the worst of the COVID-19 health pandemic behind us,” and continues to encourage the Albertans to be optimistic about the future of the province’s economy.

This comes when Alberta Health announced a record number of new COVID cases on Saturday

aa 1,336, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 11,274.

Several people have taken to social media to share their concerns about the flyer, wondering why the UCP MLA mailer contradicts what Alberta Medical Director of Health Dr Deena Hinshaw and Premier Jason Kenney have said for weeks about the danger of viruses.

In a statement on her Facebook page, Rosin said she heard the feedback on the flyer and that it was printed before the latest numbers spike.

“Printing and shipping times are often quite slow,” Rosin said. “This newsletter was sent to print in early fall when our active cases were under 2,000, but this week it was only delivered to mailboxes. There is no denying that the number of Alberta cases is now soaring, especially in communities like Banff. “

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A spokesperson for the UCP caucus said the leaflet was drafted in September and sent for delivery in October before appearing in mailboxes on Thursday, November 19.

Misunderstood and wrong

Juliet Guichon, an associate professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, said UCP senior leadership should have helped the young MLA formulate the message and that medical officials had made it clear that another wave of COVID-19 was imminent.

“This document misunderstood the significance of the pandemic and how it would grow in the fall when people went indoors,” Guichon said. “I think it’s possible that the MLA was trying to encourage people, but that’s a rookie mistake.”

Guichon added that he hopes Rosin will learn from the mistake.

“Everyone makes mistakes when they are young and better supervision should come for this young MLA,” he said. “I applaud the young women who enter politics.”

Lori Williams, an associate professor at Mount Royal University, said not interrupting delivery of the flyer was a misjudgment.

“If anyone is watching casually, they know things have gotten pretty serious recently,” Williams said. “Knowing what’s in that flyer, the prudent thing to do would be not to send it, because it doesn’t help anyone; not the people who receive it, not the MLA that sends it and not the government. “

The UCP Caucus did not elaborate when asked if the message from Alberta health professionals about the second wave was missing in the drafting of the leaflet.

When asked to comment, the premier’s office said: “The government has been clear about the serious nature of the pandemic and how all Albertans need. [to] take action to control spread while we await widespread vaccine distribution and immunization. “