What to Expect
The Legislative Assembly is adjourned until Tuesday, April 19.In this vacuum, the political focus will likely be split between the federal budget and its impacts on Alberta, the UCP leadership vote, which has moved to mail-in ballot with results not known until May 18, and yesterday’s breaking news, the departure of Alberta Health Services (AHS) President and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu. With more than a year left on her contract, the departure indicates the government intends to find a new AHS head who will help enact its health care policies, especially adding capacity while continuing to control costs. The Opposition and third-party groups will question the move, and discussions around healthcare will take centre stage.
The Week That Was
The renewal deadline for commercial carriers regarding Safety Fitness Certificates has been extended until June 28, 2022.
Both the Recall Act and the Citizen Initiative Act are officially set to come into full force as of April 7, 2022.
Paxlovid, the first oral treatment of COVID-19 that has been approved for use by Health Canada, will soon be available at more participating pharmacies as supply increases.
Bill 13, the Financial Innovation Act, has been introduced into the legislature and, if passed, would serve to better accommodate financial services for fintech companies. It would allow the suspension of some regulations in a limited capacity to allow for the sandboxing of new products (as long as they are compliant with other laws, such as privacy).
