Alanna Smith
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alannasmith.bsky.social
Alanna Smith
@alannasmith.bsky.social
3.1K followers 150 following 63 posts
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/
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Reposted by Alanna Smith
brandyzadrozny.bsky.social
For months, I’ve been following a Canadian ostrich farm ordered to cull its flock after a bird flu outbreak. It was a cause célèbre for MAHA activists, a MAGA billionaire, and, of course, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The trucker convoy with birds ended last night. They lost. www.msnbc.com/news/news-an...
Why the conspiratorial right rallied around a flock of ostriches
The anti-vaccine, anti-government crusade to save "the miracle cure birds" is over — and the fringe activists lost.
www.msnbc.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:28 PM
alannasmith.bsky.social
Canada has been stripped of its measles elimination status after failing to interrupt transmission within one year of an outbreak that continues to spread in parts of the country. @kkirkup.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com #cdnpoli
Canada officially loses its measles elimination status
The return of measles has been largely attributed to lower childhood vaccination rates
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
picardonhealth.bsky.social
What does a new study on #COVID19 tell us about the risks to children after infection? Q+A w/ Dr. Angela Wood by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/life/wellnes... via @theglobeandmail.com #LongCOVID
Q&A: What does a new study on COVID-19 tell us about the risks to children after infection?
Angela Wood, a professor of biostatistics at the University of Cambridge, took The Globe and Mail through the findings
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 5, 2025 at 5:12 AM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
mehlerpaperny.bsky.social
I got experimental brain surgery. www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti...
Opinion: Could a device implanted in my brain cure my depression? I was ready to find out
Over the past 14 years, I’ve often fantasized about some scan revealing the locus of my mood disorder. Now, we were as close as we’d likely ever get
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 1, 2025 at 2:46 PM
alannasmith.bsky.social
The newly tabled federal budget contains a suite of health spending measures, including a proposal that allocates $5-billion over three years for a dedicated Health Infrastructure Fund. From my pal @kkirkup.bsky.social.
Health measures in federal budget include $5-billion dedicated infrastructure fund
Fund is being proposed as Canada’s health infrastructure faces criticism for being outdated and not environmentally sound
www.theglobeandmail.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:54 PM
alannasmith.bsky.social
Alberta students stage walkouts to protest province’s back-to-work order to teachers. With my pal @mattscace.bsky.social #ableg #abpoli @theglobeandmail.com
Alberta students stage walkouts to protest province’s back-to-work order to teachers
Between 200 and 300 students stood outside the legislature in Edmonton Thursday morning
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
picardonhealth.bsky.social
Canada needs to tackle escalating opioid misuse among young people, doctors say. Physicians fear the crisis will continue to get worse for decades if immediate action is not taken, by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com #ToxicDrugCrisis
Canada needs to tackle escalating opioid use among young people, doctors say
Physicians fear the crisis will continue to get worse for decades if immediate action is not taken
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
carrietait.bsky.social
UPDATED: Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health broke their own rules, independent review finds.

Meanwhile, Premier Danielle Smith points to the report as evidence her govt did nothing wrong.

(And another update coming soon)

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber... w @alannasmith.bsky.social
Alberta health agency broke own rules in Turkey medication, private clinic contracts, report finds
Two other major investigations into the deals remain outstanding: One from the RCMP and a second from Alberta’s Auditor-General
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 17, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
theglobeandmail.com
Alberta health agency broke own rules in Turkey medication, private clinic contracts, report finds
Two other major investigations into the deals remain outstanding: One from the RCMP and a second from Alberta’s Auditor-General
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
picardonhealth.bsky.social
Ontario resists pressure to reverse new residency rule for international medical graduates, by @alannasmith.bsky.social www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... via @theglobeandmail.com #IMGs
Ontario resists pressure to reverse new residency rule for international medical graduates
New rule restrict IMGs who did not attend high school in Ontario from applying for first-round residency positions
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
andreawoo.bsky.social
All seven obstetrician-gynecologists at Kamloops hospital resign

“It is fairly unprecedented for an entire group of physicians to depart, but with the state of obstetrics in our community…we see no viable way forward.”
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/briti...
Seven OB/GYNs at B.C. hospital resign, citing unsafe workloads, lack of support
Years of challenges have made the situation untenable, doctors say in letter obtained by The Globe
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 15, 2025 at 2:48 AM
alannasmith.bsky.social
Breaking the chain: Canada eliminated #measles decades ago, but it will lose that status on Oct. 27 – barring a "miracle" experts doubt will happen. Here’s how falling vaccine rates got us to this point and what happens after. @theglobeandmail.com
Canada is close to losing its measles elimination status. What happens then?
Experts blame waning vaccination rates and disinformation for outbreaks that have continued for nearly a full year
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
mattscace.bsky.social
Pals, some news: I’m thrilled to be starting today at @theglobeandmail.com as a reporter in the Calgary bureau. I can’t wait to get to work and share important stories with this ultra-talented team. They set an enormously high bar and I couldn’t be more excited to start.
October 6, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
sandrasmiley.bsky.social
What to know about the war in Sudan
via @geoffreyyork.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com
www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...
The war in Sudan is the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. Here’s how it started and the toll so far
The conflict is in its third year, with the latest ceasefire talks going nowhere. Meanwhile, aid is falling far short of what’s needed
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 2, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
aljazeera.com
BREAKING: The Global Sumud Flotilla says one vessel, Marinette, is “still sailing strong.” Over the last 24 hours, 21 boats were confirmed intercepted and 20 presumably intercepted.

🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/qngd86
October 2, 2025 at 6:55 PM
alannasmith.bsky.social
Breaking: A premature baby who contracted measles in utero has died in Alberta, the first death associated with the provincial outbreak that has grown to nearly 2,000 cases. #ableg @theglobeandmail.com
Alberta records first measles death since outbreak
Alberta has recorded nearly 2,000 cases, highest figure per capita of any province. This is second known death linked to the disease
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:03 PM
alannasmith.bsky.social
One day after a central Alberta hospital alerted the provincial govt & senior health care leaders that it had implemented a strict masking policy to prevent the spread of measles, the facility-wide safety measure was discontinued, documents obtained by @theglobeandmail.com show. #ableg #cdnhealth
Alberta hospital’s mask mandate for measles ended a day after it alerted province, health officials
Internal e-mails show AHS staff fielded questions about mandate from province
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 2, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
wencyleung.bsky.social
In light of the encampment clearings at Dufferin Grove Park, it's worth revising this stellar piece by @brendoherty.bsky.social and Nick Kozak in @thelocal.to thelocal.to/toronto-enca...
Another Year, Another Encampment, Another Eviction | The Local
For years, unhoused people like Davit Sesisheili have gone from park to park, moving when the City evicts them. With new data, and reporting and photography that spans years, this is the most comprehe...
thelocal.to
October 2, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
jantafrench.bsky.social
The president of the ATA says teachers want the government to meet average class-size recommendations set by ACOL, which would require 5,000+ more teachers www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #AbEd #AbLeg
Alberta Teachers' Association wants more than 5,000 new teachers to meet class-size recommendations | CBC News
The president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association says its bargaining team asked the provincial government if it can fund class size recommendations established in 2003 following the province's last ...
www.cbc.ca
October 2, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
canadahealthwatch.ca
Alberta hospital's mask mandate for measles ended a day after it alerted province, health officials www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... @alannasmith.bsky.social

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 ⇢ CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Alberta is at the centre of Canada's measles outbreak, having recorded nearly 2,000 cases, the highest figure per capita of any province.
October 2, 2025 at 12:58 PM
alannasmith.bsky.social
From @joyscm.bsky.social: I’m fully vaccinated against measles, but I still became Ottawa’s fifth confirmed case this year. @theglobeandmail.com
I’m fully vaccinated against measles, but I still became Ottawa’s fifth confirmed case this year
We need to think more about how we view our own immunity not only for ourselves, but for our communities
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
canadahealthwatch.ca
Quebec's outgoing public-health director hopeful there will be enough free COVID shots to go around www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... @tuthanhha.bsky.social @alannasmith.bsky.social @theglobeandmail.com

More news → CanadaHealthwatch.ca 🍁
Luc Boileau, Quebec's outgoing public-health director, told La Presse that while most of the province's free COVID-19 shots will go to high-risk groups, he expects 'tens of thousands of doses' will be still be available for the rest of the population.
September 30, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
andreawoo.bsky.social
A shortage of OB-GYNs and other maternity care doctors in BC has meant some expectant patients have had to travel hundreds of kms to give birth. A deep dive on how we got here, and the story of one couple that was shuffled through four hospitals to give birth
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/briti...
OB/GYN shortage in B.C. threatens collapse in local maternity care
Understaffed hospitals send pregnant patients elsewhere, bringing stress during a vulnerable time
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
carrietait.bsky.social
SCOOP: A consultant advising Alberta Health Services on private surgical facilities simultaneously negotiated with AHS on behalf of a company vying to open such a clinic, according to a confidential report obtained by The Globe.

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Adviser on Alberta’s use of private clinics was also working for company vying for contract, confidential report says
Potential conflicts of interest outlined in document at centre of health procurement controversy
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Reposted by Alanna Smith
theglobeandmail.com
Moderna to roll out first made-in-Canada COVID-19 vaccines this fall
Facilities in Laval, Que., and Cambridge, Ont. producing U.S. drugmaker’s mRNA vaccines
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 19, 2025 at 10:06 AM