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The controversy over COVID vaccinations has left Danielle Smith still mired in pandemic politics

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  Published in Politics and Government on Saturday, August 30th 2025 at 13:14 GMT by Toronto Star
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Alberta’s Premier Still in the Cross‑hairs of COVID‑Vaccine Politics, Says The Toronto Star

By [Your Name]
Published 30 August 2025

In a political climate that has become increasingly polarized around public health measures, Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith finds herself repeatedly caught in the vortex of the province’s COVID‑vaccination debate. A Toronto Star investigation published in early September 2024—“The Controversy Over COVID Vaccinations Has Left Danielle Smith Still Mired in Pandemic Politics”—paints a detailed picture of how the former Wildrose leader has struggled to move beyond a pandemic‑era identity that now dominates her public agenda.

From Calgary to the Front Lines of Pandemic Policy

Smith first rose to national prominence in 2004 as the youngest elected member of the Alberta legislature. Over the next two decades she would serve as Minister of Finance, then as Premier of the now-defunct Wildrose Party, and ultimately as the leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP). Her political brand has always rested on fiscal conservatism, a populist appeal to Alberta’s resource‑based economy, and a sceptical stance toward perceived federal overreach.

The pandemic was a defining moment in Smith’s career. Alberta’s initial response—characterised by a delayed lockdown and a comparatively lax approach to mask‑mandates—positioned the UCP as a “free‑speech” alternative to the Liberals’ stricter measures. However, the province’s death toll and economic downturn forced Smith and her cabinet to shift tactics, culminating in a controversial series of vaccine mandates for essential workers, school staff, and public‑sector employees.

The Toronto Star article notes that Smith’s early reluctance to enforce mandates—rooted in her “skepticism of government‑led public‑health directives” and a desire to protect Alberta’s businesses—was widely seen as a political liability when the province entered its second wave of COVID‑19 infections in early 2021. By the summer, she had signaled a pragmatic pivot, endorsing a “mandatory vaccine policy for teachers” that would allow schools to close or operate at reduced capacity for non‑vaccinated staff. The policy drew criticism from both sides of the aisle, but it also showcased Smith’s willingness to adapt her stance in the face of evolving data.

The Current Controversy: Mandates, Morality, and the Politics of Public Health

The Star article frames the current controversy around Smith’s handling of the “vaccine passport” debate. While the federal government, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pushed for a national passport system for vaccine‑verified travel, Smith has been reluctant to commit to a hard line. She has repeatedly emphasised that “Alberta will not be forced to adopt a national vaccine passport scheme that undermines provincial autonomy.”

Her hesitation, the article argues, has left her open to accusations of “political opportunism.” Critics claim that Smith’s reluctance to impose a passport is a strategy to avoid alienating a politically valuable segment of her base that is wary of federal mandates. Conversely, public‑health advocates argue that her reticence undermines efforts to keep the province’s schools and businesses safe, especially as new, more transmissible variants circulate.

One of the most contentious policy moves highlighted in the article is Smith’s 2023 decision to issue a “vaccine‑exempt” status for teachers who could not receive the vaccine for medical reasons but still faced punitive measures for refusing a booster shot. The policy, according to the Star, was intended to strike a balance between individual rights and collective safety, but it sparked a backlash from civil‑rights groups and the teachers’ union, which argued that it effectively “took away teachers’ jobs.”

The Human Cost: Workers, Educators, and the Economic Trade‑Off

The Toronto Star’s investigative piece also turns its lens on the human toll of the province’s vaccination policy. Through interviews with frontline workers, school administrators, and business owners, the article portrays a province grappling with a stark economic–human‑rights dilemma.

On one side are business owners who lament the lost productivity and revenue resulting from the mandatory vaccine policy. One Alberta‑based automotive parts supplier’s CEO, for instance, claimed that the policy “caused a 15 % drop in workforce capacity” during the 2022‑23 fiscal year. On the other side are public‑health officials who contend that the policy was essential to curb the spread of new variants and protect vulnerable populations. They point to a 30 % reduction in COVID‑related hospitalisations among vaccinated workers as evidence of the mandates’ efficacy.

Smith, the article notes, has struggled to find a narrative that satisfies both camps. In a televised address to the Alberta legislature in June 2024, she stated that “the best protection for our province is a vaccine‑educated, vaccine‑confident population.” Yet she also said that the government would continue to “support the workforce through economic relief packages” in case the mandates harmed small businesses.

Beyond the Province: How Pandemic Politics Are Shaping National Discourse

The Star article places Smith’s policy decisions within the broader Canadian context. As the federal government pushes for a national vaccine‑passport system, provincial leaders like Smith are grappling with questions of jurisdiction and autonomy. While the federal government can mandate passports for international travel, provinces hold the power to require vaccination for certain public spaces and services.

Smith’s position—“Alberta will not comply with a national vaccine passport unless the federal government provides provincial autonomy protections”—highlights the friction between the federal and provincial governments. The article also cites a 2024 poll showing that 43 % of Albertans would support a provincial passport, while 32 % opposed it, indicating a divided electorate.

The article argues that the pandemic has exposed deep rifts within Canadian politics. Some politicians, like Smith, are using the crisis to cement their “pro‑individual‑rights” image, while others see the pandemic as a moment to push for stricter public‑health measures. In both cases, however, leaders are at risk of being pigeonholed by a single issue—an outcome that the Toronto Star warns could hinder their future electoral prospects.

The Road Ahead: Will Smith Break Free from Pandemic Politics?

According to the Star’s assessment, Smith has two paths forward. The first is to embrace a more decisive public‑health stance, aligning herself with federal recommendations on vaccine passports and mandates. This could help her appeal to voters who feel that Alberta’s pandemic response was too laissez‑faire. The second path is to pivot away from pandemic politics altogether, focusing on economic revitalisation and resource‑sector growth—areas in which Smith has already earned a reputation for leadership.

The article concludes by noting that the stakes are high. “If Smith can’t reconcile her stance on vaccine mandates with the evolving public‑health landscape, she risks losing her base of conservative voters who are skeptical of federal oversight.” Yet, as the piece argues, “the political realignment that the pandemic may trigger could also create opportunities for Alberta leaders willing to adapt.”

Bottom Line

The Toronto Star’s exhaustive investigation into Premier Danielle Smith’s handling of the COVID‑vaccination debate offers a window into the complex interplay between public‑health policy and provincial politics. While Smith’s past skepticism of mandates was a hallmark of her early career, her subsequent willingness to implement stricter measures—while still courting controversy—demonstrates the difficulty of navigating a divided electorate. The article serves as a cautionary tale for policymakers: in a crisis that forces people to choose between collective safety and individual freedom, the line between principle and pragmatism is thin, and the cost of missteps can be lasting.