Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, is reportedly taking time off after stating that she was unavailable to testify in court due to her responsibilities regarding the management of the COVID-19 “fourth wave” in the province.
However, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms believes that the timing of Hinshaw’s vacation is quite off since Alberta’s top doctor was supposed to appear in court to testify in a case regarding the unconstitutionality of her orders issued last year. Hinshaw was expected to appear for cross-examination at trial on September 27 and 28.
The provincial government of Alberta’s lawyers requested the court for an adjournment since Dr. Hinshaw was “too busy” overseeing the region’s strategies regarding the fourth wave of COVID-19. What’s confusing is that the Justice Centre recently discovered that Hinshaw “booked a three-day vacation,” which included the days she was supposed to be cross-examined.
The Justice Centre represents the Northside Baptist Church, the Heights Baptist Church, and two individuals whose constitutional rights were violated following Hinshaw’s orders.
Some of the constitutional rights violated by the assailed orders include the right to worship, the right to visit family and friends, including having visitors in one’s private residence, the right to conduct a business to earn a living, the right to travel, and the right to peaceful assembly.
Litigation Director for the Justice Centre, Jay Cameron, shared that Hinshaw has “excessive unilateral power under the Public Health Act, with virtually no accountability to the democratically elected Alberta Legislature.”
“Albertans are once again suffering under lockdown measures similar to last winter after repeatedly being told there would be no more lockdowns,” Cameron added. “And after it has been repeatedly proven that lockdowns are ineffective and cause tremendous harm to society.”
