EDMONTON — Premier Danielle Smith says she plans to reinforce the right to decide whether to receive a vaccination or other medical treatment in changes to the Alberta Bill of Rights. In an online video posted Tuesday, Smith said her government is to soon introduce legislation amending the document to ensure the right to make informed medical decisions without fear of undue government pressure or interference. The legislature reconvenes in late October.
"It is my firm conviction that no Albertan should ever be subjected (to) or pressured into accepting a medical treatment without their full consent," she said. The Alberta Bill of Rights only applies to matters under provincial authority. Smith, speaking to right-wing online media outlet The Western Standard, said Tuesday she hopes if Alberta shows it "is not going to just go along with whatever edicts the federal government brings down," Ottawa "would be a lot more judicious in coming through with any type of policy like (vaccine mandates) again.
" University of Calgary law professor Lorian Hardcastle said it's hard to know the impacts without seeing the amending legislation itself. "I would say that it's worrisome," she said. "And we're less well prepared if we were to potentially go into another pandemic.
" Hardcastle said the Alberta government already stripped itself of the authority to impose mandatory vaccinations during a public health emergency when it made changes to the Public Health Act during the COVID-19 pandemic.