Protesters disrupted a United Conservative Party press conference in Calgary on Thursday to oppose the privatization of hospitals, an idea leader Danielle Smith floated in a recently leaked video.
A video stream of the conference from just before noon shows Pamela Rath, candidate for Calgary-Mountain View, speaking at a podium when a man can be heard off-camera saying “Hospitals are not for sale” multiple times.
Smith can be seen being ushered away immediately, while Rath and candidate for Calgary-North West Rajan Sawney remain at the podium.
A man stepped in front of the camera holding a sign that says, “SHC, like new, modern appliances for sale.”
“We will not sell our arms and legs for hospitals,” said the man with the sign.
“They’re going to cost us an arm and a leg,” a voice can be heard saying off-screen.
“You’ve already privatized lab services,” said another voice.
The protesters were told to leave, the video shows.
The protesters did eventually disperse and the protest ended peacefully.
The stream for the news conference cut out for a few minutes before coming back online, when the politicians continued their announcements.
Smith compared the protesters to the NDP, saying both seek to misrepresent her position on health care. She said her government is committed to not making people pay out of pocket for medically necessary services.
Smith said her government is using private surgical suites to reduce wait times.
“We will contract out surgeries where it makes sense and we will not privatize the hospitals that are under the umbrella of Alberta Health Services.”
Pollsters say health care is a key issue in the election campaign.
Smith has faced criticism for comments she has made in the past, such as advocating in pre-premiership interviews and in an academic policy paper that Albertans should pay for some medically necessary services like seeing a family doctor.
She said this is so the system can remain sustainable long-term.
Before the election officially started, Smith said her government had recently signed a long-term health funding deal with the federal government, and implicit in the deal is a promise to respect public health.
Smith said the UCP would be committed to public health care if re-elected.
The Alberta NDP issued a statement about an hour after the protest saying it “strongly condemns” the actions taken by the protesters.
“What happened today during a press conference with Danielle Smith was unacceptable,” the party said.
–With files from Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
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