Alberta NDP MLA says Smith’s chief of staff’s legacy is more drug deaths
Alberta NDP MLA Janet Eremenko (Calgary-Currie) said the deadliest years of the opioid crisis occurred when Office of the Premier of Alberta (OPA) Chief of Staff Marshall Smith was architecting the Alberta Recovery Model.
While drugs were getting more toxic, Eremenko said the Alberta government responded by defunding harm reduction services.
“That's his record,” tweeted Eremenko on Wednesday.
The deadliest years of the opioid crisis occurred while Marshall Smith was "architecting" the Alberta Recovery Model. Drugs were getting more and more toxic and the UCP responded by defunding harm reduction services. That's his record. #ableg #abpolihttps://t.co/GOfYDFIgVW
— Janet Eremenko (@JanetEremenko) October 9, 2024
Eremenko was commenting on Alberta Premier Danielle Smith confirming a Western Standard exclusive on Tuesday that Marshall would be retiring from public service in October.
“It’s has been an honour to work with Marshall — I and our entire province owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for his service to Alberta,” said Danielle.
Over the past 2 years serving as my Chief of Staff, Marshall Smith has worked consistently to serve the best interests of Albertans everyday in the Premier’s Office. At the beginning of this year, and after 32 years of public service in various forms, Marshall informed me that he… pic.twitter.com/m5aWs0dVC0
— Danielle Smith (@ABDanielleSmith) October 8, 2024
Alberta Mental Health and Addictions Minister Dan Williams said in an interview with the Western Standard Eremenko is criticizing the only plausible solution within Canada to the addictions crisis.
“What she’s criticizing are thousands of lives saved because of the Alberta Recovery Model,” said Williams.
“What she’s criticizing is pure political posturing and requires a conspiracy-level of detachment to reality to truly believe.”
Williams said Albertans “have a moral obligation before any other to make sure that our communities are safe and that our family members and friends have treatment options worthy of the dignity of every single human life in Alberta.” Without recovery, he said Alberta would not have an operation to fight addictions.
Alberta government statistics released in July found opioid deaths in the province were at their lowest point since 2020 and came after the crisis’ deadliest year.
Ninety Albertans died from opioid overdoses in April 2024. That was fewer than half the 186 deaths in April 2023 — the worst month since the opioid crisis started in 2016.
Alberta saw 23 drug poisoning deaths per 100,000 people in April — the lowest per capita figure since April 2020 when it was at 21.8 and had 80 deaths. https://www.westernstandard.news/alberta/alberta-ndp-mla-says-smiths-chief-of-staffs-legacy-is-more-drug-deaths/58515
Here Here!!
OPEN LETTER: To the Prime Minister of the "New World Order"
TO: The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
FROM: Jennifer Elizabeth Telfer
I. The Banker in the PMO
You have famously stated on camera, "I'm a banker, not a career politician." That much is evident. Your leadership has treated Canada not as a sovereign nation of citizens, but as a balance sheet to be "optimized" for global investors. You are a technician for a vision that seeks to dismantle national independence in favor of the "variable geometry" of global power you promoted at Davos 2026.
II. The Death of the Trades & The "Build Canada" Scam
As someone who has worked in the trades for over 15 years, I see the "holes" in your Build Communities Strong Fund. You talk about "supercharging" homebuilding, but your policies are crushing the people who actually do the work:
The Productivity Trap: You demand 500,000 homes a year while your "hidden" fuel taxes and inflation make it impossible for ...
Someone finally put the truth in print in a Red Deer obituary. She was 71.
" Six years ago. Val’s health began to be compromised. She battled every day to reverse the vaccine injury after long battle in excruciating pain."
