EDMONTON, AB – A big shake up inside Alberta’s UCP government.
Premier Jason Kenney has changed the person in charge of the province’s health portfolio, shuffling out Tyler Shandro from that position which he had held since the United Conservative Party took office more than two years ago.
Shandro has been replaced by another fellow Calgary MLA, Jason Copping who had previously been the government’s Minister of Labour and Immigration.
In fact, this was more of a cabinet switch than a shuffle. Shandro stays in cabinet, taking over Copping’s now former position.
Premier Kenney revealed later on Tuesday that Shandro resigned from the portfolio and both chatted and decided mutually that it was time for a fresh face to head the ministry.
Alberta’s health portfolio has been under a lot of pressure, with both Shandro and Premier Kenney being heavily criticized for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially this fourth wave.
The province currently has more than 20,000 active cases of the virus; nearly 1,000 people are in hospital; and over 215 in ICU.