I understand the love for Dr. Deena Hinshaw but I feel very weird at her "mistakes happen" approach to the unnecessary meatpacking deaths in Southern Alberta.

The Cargill and JBS plants have more cases than all of Edmonton. This is a major scandal and demands more responsibility

It disturbs me that Hinshaw speaks as if this is a learning lesson but at the same time minimizes her direct role in having AHS approve these sites as safe.

Even going as far to tell the workers directly - on a townhall - that the plant was safe. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/david-staples-dr-hinshaw-on-cargill-outbreak-i-take-every-case-that-could-have-been-prevented-as-an-opportunity-to-learn/

I also find it disturbing that some are claiming her role is non-political.

On April 12, community was begging for the plants to be closed. On April 18, she sat with politicians who told workers their plant was safe. Her role is political. https://twitter.com/DevinDVote/status/1251643360747511808

I also think it's racist for Dr. Hinshaw to blame the outbreak on the community by focusing on their living situations and economic insecurity.

It's racist because she blames a "strong ethic" in Filipino culture vs the toxic worksite management of Cargill and JBS.

Politicians deserve blame but so does AHS. Remember, they couldn't even be bothered to send inspectors to the sites.

Instead, inspectors reviewed video taken by the plant management. It disturbs me by how little they valued workers lives. https://twitter.com/realmarkwells/status/1252451081650487297

26% of all cases in Alberta are in meatpacking plants and continuing care facilities. Work sites overwhelmingly staffed by low-income racialized people.

This is no accident and is a direct result of incompetence from AHS and the UCP.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/province-to-update-covid-19-numbers-at-330-p-m/

I hope our overwhelmingly white media also understands their role in this. They have a responsibility in showcasing the workers lives and how unnecessary their deaths were.

I care about this because my dad worked at JBS in Brooks, Alberta. Lives like his matter.

Minister of Agriculture @DevinDVote needs to resign. His callous care for these workers is shameful. For Dr. Hinshaw?

I hope she sincerely reflects on her role and use of racist tropes. This is not simply a mistake to learn from, it’s a tragedy that needs reconciliation.

Clarification:

The "virtual" inspection I refer to above (the one highlighted by those screenshotted reports) was done by Occupational Safety and Health, not AHS.

Of note, this does not excuse Hinshaw or AHS. She had access to reports and should have been extremely critical.

I wrote an article based on my thoughts from this thread https://www.theprogressreport.ca/opinion_meatpacking_plant_outbreaks_are_a_disaster_and_dr_hinshaw_shares_responsibility