By Nia Williams and Rod Nickel

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Premier Jason Kenney promised Albertans the “best summer ever” when he lifted most COVID-19 public health restrictions on July 1, but a surge in infections has overwhelmed the province’s hospitals and left him fighting to save his political career.

This western Canadian province, known for its cowboy culture, oil and natural gas riches, and independence, is sometimes called the Texas of the North.

COVID-19, like in Texas has been rampant in Alberta. The province has almost four times the country’s average active infection rate. Saskatchewan and Alberta have some of the highest vaccination rates in Canada.

Alberta’s health system is in danger of collapsing due to the fourth wave of coronavirus.

According to the most recent update, Alberta’s intensive care units are at 84% capacity. This is despite the addition of nearly 200 beds. The 90% threshold when critical care triage protocols kick into effect forces doctors to prioritize patients with the highest survival chances.

Shazma Mithani is an emergency physician at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.

We are now in the worst position we’ve ever found ourselves in. It was all preventable.

Verna Yuu, chief executive officer of Alberta Health Services, stated that there is no way intensive care units can take on new patients because existing patients are dying.

Kenney apologised on Sept. 15, for his mishandling of pandemic. He also required that proof be presented to gain entry into some businesses. Justin Trudeau was a political foe and Kenney got him to accept military assistance to transport patients to other provinces.

POPULIST SENTIMENT

Kenney, 53, tapped into Alberta’s populist streak when after years as a Cabinet minister in Ottawa, he returned west to lead the newly created United Conservative Party (UCP) and win the 2019 provincial election.

The province removed almost all restrictions just in time to allow for Calgary Stampede, Canada’s biggest tourist draw. The UCP issued “Best Summer Ever” ball caps in the next month, even after cases spiked, and Kenney vanished on vacation.

He was back in September to provide a C$100 cash incentive for Albertans to become immunized and reveal a vaccination passport system. This, in spite of previously promising it would never be possible.

Kenney, his former health minister was replaced by Kenney. However, many Albertans still remain angry.

Many political commentators blamed the dip in Conservative support for last week’s federal election on frustration with Kenney. Kenney was previously tipped to be the federal leader.

Drew Barnes was an independent member in Alberta’s legislature who called for Kenney’s resignation and was expelled from the UCP caucus.

A number of UCP legislators publicly criticised Kenney last week. Faced with a revolt by the caucus, Kenney agreed to conduct a leadership review this spring and bring it forward until next autumn. Although Kenney is up for reelection in the 2023 provincial elections, many voters still want him gone.

Kenney didn’t respond to our request for comment, but he said on Sunday that he was “hit hard” by the fourth wave of cases. This is primarily due to Canada having one of its lowest vaccine rates. The calls for a hard lockdown to curb the rising number of cases were also rejected by Kenney.

Tom McIntosh of the University of Regina, Saskatchewan said that Kenney had bought time and is now “operating with a sword above his head”.

SASKATCHEWAN ALSO STRUGGLING

Alberta and Saskatchewan fueled skepticism about the seriousness of the pandemic from the start, with mixed messages that sometimes urged people to stay home and at other times urged them to go out and support local business, said McIntosh.

Scott Moe, Saskatchewan’s right-leaning premier has adopted Kenney’s same approach to the pandemic. The province, which also saw its hospital accept adult COVID-19 victims, is now in a fourth wave.

Moe does not face the same backlash from his party. The Saskatchewan Party was formed 24 years ago. This is in contrast to the UCP which has only four years and can be prone for conflicts between middle-right members and rural voters.

Moe blames unvaccinated individuals for causing the epidemic.

Alberta and Saskatchewan made every effort to control the outbreak.

Alexander Wong of Regina General Hospital, who is an infectious disease doctor, stated that staff have become exhausted.

Wong said that the lockdown is necessary because it is “soul-crushing” for many people. We are basically up to our necks right now,” Wong said.