Alberta Premier Danielle Smith non-committal on public inquiry into E. coli outbreak

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith won’t commit to a public inquiry into the E. coli outbreak that has sickened hundreds of children in Calgary despite calls to do so from the Official Opposition’s New Democratic Party and child-care advocates across Canada.

For days now, Ms. Smith has been vague when asked about the potential for this type of investigation, which the NDP said would help restore public trust in child-care services. The Premier has said repeatedly that she is committed to reviewing the circumstances that led to the outbreak but isn’t sure what form it will take.

She echoed that statement again on Monday to media, when asked directly if she would pledge to hold a public review, which would not only detail how the outbreak occurred but establish recommendations in an effort to thwart a repeat of the pediatric crisis.

“I have committed to do a review. I am not quite sure what form that will take just yet,” said Ms. Smith. But, she added, the government wants to focus on getting through the immediate crisis before potentially turning its attention to a deeper investigation and the consideration of legislative changes.

Nearly 350 confirmed cases of E. coli, mostly among children, have been linked to the outbreak declared on Sept. 4 in connection to six Fueling Brains Academy daycares in Calgary and five other sites that share a common kitchen. Another six daycares have since been affected and 27 secondary cases have been confirmed, said Alberta Health Services (AHS) in an update on Monday.

Nine patients are hospitalized, down from 12 on Saturday, all of whom have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can cause damage to the organs. Three are receiving dialysis.

Five additional daycares close because of E. coli outbreak in Calgary

“As hospital admission and daily numbers of new cases continue to decline, we are seeing clear indications that the outbreak related to the initial exposure has peaked,” said AHS. An investigation into the source of the outbreak is continuing.

Fueling Minds, the catering kitchen believed to be ground zero for the outbreak, shares similar ownership to Fueling Brains. Since July, 2021, AHS inspectors have found a number of violations on-site, including cockroaches, improper food storage equipment and a “sewer gas smell” in the latest report dated Sept. 5.

These infractions have left parents and guardians frustrated and looking for answers as to why the facility was allowed to continue its operations after multiple infractions, some of which were repeatedly observed. Some of these parents penned an open letter to Ms. Smith last week that called on the province to step up.

“We trusted not only our daycare facility but that the government itself had regulations in place that were keeping them safe,” it said. “What are you going to do to protect our most vulnerable citizens and support their families?”

Ms. Smith said, last Friday, that the government is conducting a review of all shared kitchens that serve child-care centres and will make changes to regulations if needed to the Public Health Act. Her hope, she said, is that recommendations would be proposed by the end of the year.

The Premier also said, during her Corus radio show on Saturday, that she will ask conservative stalwart Preston Manning to review the Public Health Act in the context of this outbreak as part of his role as chair of a panel reviewing Alberta’s COVID-19 response. Mr. Manning, former leader of the Reform Party, has been critical of public-health measures during the pandemic, including vaccine mandates.

Diana Batten, Alberta NDP critic for child care and children and family services, said anything less than an immediate, independent public inquiry into the outbreak will not give Albertans the answers they deserve.

“We need to ensure transparency and accountability and the final results of the investigation need to restore public trust that has been so greatly shattered during this crisis,” said Ms. Batten. “This inquiry I’m calling for today needs to begin immediately, not months down the line.”

She said Mr. Manning is not qualified to conduct an assessment because of his anti-science rhetoric, and that the investigation must be led by someone who is impartial.