Parents write open letter to Danielle Smith demanding action over E. coli outbreak

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is facing fierce political backlash for her government’s handling of the massive E. coli outbreak tied to a string of Calgary daycares, with parents demanding to know why she has said so little about the unfolding crisis.

The company at the centre of the outbreak, Fueling Brains Academy, and its founders have also said little, as hundreds have been infected and dozens hospitalized – mostly children. The company has sought political influence, both provincially and with the federal government, as Ottawa formulated a national child-care plan in recent years.

In an open letter addressed to Ms. Smith, parents with children enrolled in Fueling Brains’ daycares said the provincial government’s response to the outbreak has not been enough to assure them those in charge are capable of managing the situation. The letter also questioned whether the United Conservative Party’s campaign to “cut the red tape” will lead to similar disasters caused by gaps in health and safety regulations.

“We would like to know why we have not heard from you,” says the letter, which has garnered more than 700 e-signatures by Thursday afternoon.

Ms. Smith is set to participate in a government update on the E. coli situation Friday morning, marking her first appearance at a press conference on the topic since Alberta Health Services declared an outbreak Sept. 4. She did, however, field questions about it on the sidelines of a carbon capture conference on Tuesday – the same day Health Minister Adriana LaGrange and Children and Family Services Minister Searle Turton first appeared before the press to discuss the outbreak.

“The recent press conference revealed nothing to regain our trust in the government’s ability to respond adequately to this situation,” the open letter says.

Ms. Smith’s office said Thursday that the E. coli outbreak is her top priority, contrasting the parents’ criticisms in the letter.

Danielle Smith must uncover roots of E. coli crisis and ensure it doesn’t happen again

There were 13 children in hospital owing to the E. coli outbreak as of Thursday morning, according to AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson. He said 11 patients have hemolytic uremic syndrome, including six patients receiving dialysis. In all, 37 people have been hospitalized because of the outbreak.

There have been 329 lab-confirmed infections linked to the outbreak, AHS said. It also counted 22 secondary infections, all within households tied to the affected daycares.

Officials believe the outbreak stems from a kitchen that services a number of daycares in Calgary. Inspectors, on Sept. 5, found cockroaches and the smell of sewer gas, along with other health violations, in the facility.

“How is it that a kitchen with so many violations was quietly allowed to keep feeding our children with no consequence or due follow-up? How can we rest assured they are safe to eat at any facility governed by this province when consequences for unsafe food practices do not exist?” the open letter says.

“When did the ability of businesses to continue running become the priority over the safety of the public, especially our children? Is this what we can expect as the UCP continues to ‘cut the red tape?’”

Sam Blackett, a spokesperson for Ms. Smith, said the Premier will “have more to say” at the Friday press conference.

“Premier Smith has made this outbreak her number one priority. She has heard the heartbreaking stories from parents and rest assured action will be taken,” he said in a statement.

Fueling Brains’ executives have operated their business with the backing of considerable government funds. Co-founder Faisal Alimohd was registered as a lobbyist in B.C. until earlier this year. Records maintained by that province show Kids U Inc., a corporate name used in conjunction with Fueling Brains both in Canada and the U.S., received more than $1.75-million from Ottawa and the Alberta government between June, 2021, and February, 2023. That includes $1.15-million from Alberta in wage top up funds and affordability grant payments. The remainder came in the form of federal emergency wage and rent subsidies.

Fueling Brains also operates in the U.S., where corporate records list co-founder Anil Karim’s address as a house in a Houston suburb. That house was unoccupied when The Globe and Mail visited this week. The company’s U.S. operations are situated inside a 12th-floor Houston co-working space. Company staff said on Thursday that Mr. Karim is in Canada.

Canadian records show that the company has sought government influence. Between May, 2020, and August, 2021, it made 38 communications with federal officials under Kids U Inc.

Those include communications with members of Parliament, the Privy Council Office, the Prime Minister’s Office and senior government figures, the federal lobbyist registry shows. A Kids U representative lists two communications in 2021 with Bardish Chagger, who the government leader in the House of Commons at the time.

Ms. Chagger did not respond to a request for comment. Terry Duguid, a Liberal MP from Winnipeg who previously held a parliamentary secretary role related to Western Economic Diversification Canada, said he did not recall interacting with the company.