Alanna Smith
@alannasmith.bsky.social
National health reporter with The Globe and Mail. Based in Calgary. Formerly with the Canadian Press, Calgary Herald. DM for Signal/Whatsapp or email alannasmith@globeandmail.com
🔗: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/alanna-smith/
🔗: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/alanna-smith/
ICYMI: While this fall’s influenza vaccine was a mismatch for the dominant strain, it still cut the risk of serious illness by roughly 40 per cent, according to a Canadian network that has long tracked the performance of the annual shot. #cdnhealth #fluseason @theglobeandmail.com
Flu vaccine reduced risk of serious illness by about 40%, estimate says
Research head says assessment was reassuring as it revealed jab still offered worthwhile protection despite being a mismatch for the dominant strain
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:07 PM
ICYMI: While this fall’s influenza vaccine was a mismatch for the dominant strain, it still cut the risk of serious illness by roughly 40 per cent, according to a Canadian network that has long tracked the performance of the annual shot. #cdnhealth #fluseason @theglobeandmail.com
Reposted by Alanna Smith
Alberta doctors say the provincial government’s decision to broaden parental and guardian access to their children’s medical records could put youth at risk of harm and infringes on their privacy, by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com
Alberta doctors speak out against move to broaden parent access to children’s health records
Parent or guardian access to children’s medical information extended to age 18, up from 12
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Alberta doctors say the provincial government’s decision to broaden parental and guardian access to their children’s medical records could put youth at risk of harm and infringes on their privacy, by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com
Alberta doctors say the provincial government’s decision to broaden parental and guardian access to their children’s medical records could put youth at risk of harm and infringes on their privacy. #ableg @theglobeandmail.com
Alberta doctors speak out against move to broaden parent access to children’s health records
Parent or guardian access to children’s medical information extended to age 18, up from 12
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:56 AM
Alberta doctors say the provincial government’s decision to broaden parental and guardian access to their children’s medical records could put youth at risk of harm and infringes on their privacy. #ableg @theglobeandmail.com
A premature baby in Alberta who contracted #measles in utero – the province’s only death linked to the current outbreak – died last July, but health officials did not make the public aware until October, documents obtained by @theglobeandmail.com show. #ableg
Death of premature Alberta baby with measles was not made public for months, documents show
Alberta has the highest rate of cases per capita of any province or territory, and has been under scrutiny for its response
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 3, 2026 at 3:50 PM
A premature baby in Alberta who contracted #measles in utero – the province’s only death linked to the current outbreak – died last July, but health officials did not make the public aware until October, documents obtained by @theglobeandmail.com show. #ableg
From @picardonhealth.bsky.social: $6,810,846. That’s roughly how much the seemingly endless B.C. ostrich saga has cost the federal government (read: taxpayers) so far.
Opinion: The B.C. ostrich saga has come home to roost with a big bill
The only reason it cost so much was the stubborn refusal of the farm’s owners to comply with the cull order
www.theglobeandmail.com
February 2, 2026 at 10:24 PM
From @picardonhealth.bsky.social: $6,810,846. That’s roughly how much the seemingly endless B.C. ostrich saga has cost the federal government (read: taxpayers) so far.
Reposted by Alanna Smith
Be wary of the notion that Alberta's independence movement is growing. But due to changes by the UCP gov't, a referendum might happen anyway, activating a full-fledged independence campaign.
My dispatch on the separatists' divorce pitch: #ableg #cdnpoli
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
My dispatch on the separatists' divorce pitch: #ableg #cdnpoli
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Amid a wave of Canada-wide unity, Alberta’s separatism movement pushes back
Alberta separatists are taking their message on the road, campaigning across the province for an independence referendum
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 31, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Be wary of the notion that Alberta's independence movement is growing. But due to changes by the UCP gov't, a referendum might happen anyway, activating a full-fledged independence campaign.
My dispatch on the separatists' divorce pitch: #ableg #cdnpoli
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
My dispatch on the separatists' divorce pitch: #ableg #cdnpoli
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
The Alberta government is asking the court to dismiss a lawsuit that challenged the province’s opioid-prescribing rules on the basis of Charter violations. #ableg #abpoli
Alberta seeks court dismissal for lawsuit challenging opioid-prescribing rules
Judge granted injunction in 2023 that exempted woman from rules, allowing her to continue using prescribed hydromorphone at home
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 31, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
After a decade into Canada’s toxic drug crisis, recent data show death rates across the country are falling. But national averages can mask profound disparities, and experts caution that it’s too early to draw conclusions.
A look at the recent shift:
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
A look at the recent shift:
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Opioid deaths have declined sharply in Canada. These five factors help explain why
Overdoses, driven to new heights in the 2010s, are not killing as many Canadians as they did a few years ago. Health officials aren’t yet sure whether that’s cause for celebration
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 30, 2026 at 4:30 PM
After a decade into Canada’s toxic drug crisis, recent data show death rates across the country are falling. But national averages can mask profound disparities, and experts caution that it’s too early to draw conclusions.
A look at the recent shift:
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
A look at the recent shift:
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Reposted by Alanna Smith
A suburban county in central Virginia is considering its legal options over a plan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to purchase a warehouse property owned by Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Developments to use as a holding and processing centre
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Vancouver mogul Jim Pattison’s company under fire for proposed sale of U.S. property to ICE
Canadians are organizing boycotts of businesses tied to the billionaire while Virginia residents are planning demonstrations
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 28, 2026 at 2:33 AM
A suburban county in central Virginia is considering its legal options over a plan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to purchase a warehouse property owned by Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Developments to use as a holding and processing centre
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Reposted by Alanna Smith
Alberta Health Services docs obtained via freedom of information request show that up to 85 percent of provincial EMS dispatches for drug toxicity were not reported by the Alberta government, @drugdatadecoded.ca reports:
drugdatadecoded.ca/up-to-89-per...
drugdatadecoded.ca/up-to-89-per...
Up to 89 percent of ambulances for overdoses concealed in record year, as Alberta health care careens into crisis
The Alberta government says it has “the most transparent data reporting system in North America" for drug toxicity. In reality, internal data manipulation causes most emergency calls to go unreported.
drugdatadecoded.ca
January 22, 2026 at 11:54 PM
Alberta Health Services docs obtained via freedom of information request show that up to 85 percent of provincial EMS dispatches for drug toxicity were not reported by the Alberta government, @drugdatadecoded.ca reports:
drugdatadecoded.ca/up-to-89-per...
drugdatadecoded.ca/up-to-89-per...
An Alberta health minister says reports of recent deaths and near-misses in overflowing emergency departments are concerning but he is confident that Albertans will still get the urgent care they need at hospitals. #ableg
Alberta minister says cases of preventable deaths raised by doctors ‘concerning’
Matt Jones, one of the province’s four health ministers, says these scenarios do not reflect system as a whole
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 21, 2026 at 3:09 AM
An Alberta health minister says reports of recent deaths and near-misses in overflowing emergency departments are concerning but he is confident that Albertans will still get the urgent care they need at hospitals. #ableg
Reposted by Alanna Smith
As two British Columbians challenge their conviction for creating a compassion club, court hears the province tried for years to create its own: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @andreawoo.bsky.social
B.C. health authorities tried to allow purchase of regulated heroin without prescriptions, court hears
Effort to reduce toxic-drug deaths was ultimately derailed by political blowback
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 20, 2026 at 6:04 PM
As two British Columbians challenge their conviction for creating a compassion club, court hears the province tried for years to create its own: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @andreawoo.bsky.social
Reposted by Alanna Smith
Wild times.
“It is believed to be the first time in a century that the Canadian Armed Forces have created a model of an American assault on this country, a founding member of NATO and a partner with the U.S. in continental air defence.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
“It is believed to be the first time in a century that the Canadian Armed Forces have created a model of an American assault on this country, a founding member of NATO and a partner with the U.S. in continental air defence.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
January 20, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Wild times.
“It is believed to be the first time in a century that the Canadian Armed Forces have created a model of an American assault on this country, a founding member of NATO and a partner with the U.S. in continental air defence.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
“It is believed to be the first time in a century that the Canadian Armed Forces have created a model of an American assault on this country, a founding member of NATO and a partner with the U.S. in continental air defence.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...
Always love joining our amazing Decibel team! On today's episode, we chat about why this flu season has been so intense. @theglobeandmail.com #cdnhealth
Why the flu is so bad this year
This year’s dominant variant is a mutation of influenza A called Subclade K
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Always love joining our amazing Decibel team! On today's episode, we chat about why this flu season has been so intense. @theglobeandmail.com #cdnhealth
Reposted by Alanna Smith
Lancet study finds “no evidence” that Tylenol use in pregnancy increases the risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability, despite claims by Trump and backers, by Jennifer Yang www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com
Lancet study refutes claim of a link between Tylenol and autism
Trump’s contentious remarks stoked fears and may delay critical research in the field, experts say
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Lancet study finds “no evidence” that Tylenol use in pregnancy increases the risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability, despite claims by Trump and backers, by Jennifer Yang www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com
Reposted by Alanna Smith
At least six preventable deaths and more than 30 “near-misses” occurred in Alberta emergency departments since the beginning of the year because of overcrowding, according to documents obtained by @theglobeandmail.com. #ableg #abpoli
Preventable deaths, ‘near-misses’ caused by overcrowding in Alberta emergency rooms, documents show
Physicians in Edmonton’s major hospitals recently called on the province to declare a formal emergency due to overcrowding
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 17, 2026 at 5:33 PM
At least six preventable deaths and more than 30 “near-misses” occurred in Alberta emergency departments since the beginning of the year because of overcrowding, according to documents obtained by @theglobeandmail.com. #ableg #abpoli
For 90+ hours, Carla Peck's 79 y/o dad was confined to a stretcher in an Edmonton ED, which worsened his condition. Many Alberta patients are languishing for days in makeshift waiting areas as patient demand exceeds hospital bed availability. #ableg #abpoli @theglobeandmail.com
Senior with influenza waited 90 hours in Edmonton emergency department, family says
Patients are languishing for days in makeshift waiting areas to receive care
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:38 PM
For 90+ hours, Carla Peck's 79 y/o dad was confined to a stretcher in an Edmonton ED, which worsened his condition. Many Alberta patients are languishing for days in makeshift waiting areas as patient demand exceeds hospital bed availability. #ableg #abpoli @theglobeandmail.com
Reposted by Alanna Smith
79-year-old with influenza waited 90 hours in Edmonton emergency department, family says. Patients are languishing for days in makeshift waiting areas to receive care, by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com #CanadaWAITS
Senior with influenza waited 90 hours in Edmonton emergency department, family says
Patients are languishing for days in makeshift waiting areas to receive care
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:46 PM
79-year-old with influenza waited 90 hours in Edmonton emergency department, family says. Patients are languishing for days in makeshift waiting areas to receive care, by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com #CanadaWAITS
Reposted by Alanna Smith
New from me: the Alberta lawyer leading the charge for separatism had a law society hearing today over his COVID-era correspondence with government and public health officials — some of whom he threatened with prosecution for “crimes against humanity” edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
Alberta separatist lawyer threatened 'war crimes,' 'murder' charges over COVID vaccine, law society claims
Separatist lawyer Jeffrey Rath is challenging claims he breached professional conduct rules by writing to government officials during the COVID-19 pandemic — but admits he used "overly aggressive" lan...
edmontonjournal.com
January 14, 2026 at 2:34 AM
New from me: the Alberta lawyer leading the charge for separatism had a law society hearing today over his COVID-era correspondence with government and public health officials — some of whom he threatened with prosecution for “crimes against humanity” edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
Doctors at an Edmonton hospital have penned a joint statement urging the Alberta government to reverse its plan to close 21 inpatient beds at a time when hospitals are overflowing with patients. #ableg #cdnpoli www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Edmonton hospital doctors urge province to keep inpatient beds open
Physicians say closing beds will further strain an already overburdened system and hinder patient care
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 13, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Doctors at an Edmonton hospital have penned a joint statement urging the Alberta government to reverse its plan to close 21 inpatient beds at a time when hospitals are overflowing with patients. #ableg #cdnpoli www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Reposted by Alanna Smith
A New York Times video analysis of an ICE agent’s fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis contradicts the Trump administration’s account. Watch our investigation here.
Video: Videos Contradict Trump Administration Account of ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
An analysis of footage from three camera angles shows that the motorist was driving away from — not toward — a federal officer when he opened fire.
nyti.ms
January 8, 2026 at 1:30 PM
A New York Times video analysis of an ICE agent’s fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis contradicts the Trump administration’s account. Watch our investigation here.