Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has hinted at turfing Alberta Chief Medical Health Officer Deena Hinshaw.

Alberta’s 19th premier hosted her first press conference on Tuesday afternoon, just hours after being sworn in. She said Alberta is moving in a new direction post COVID-19.

Asked whether she’ll retain Hinshaw as her primary public health advisor, Smith said, “no.”

“I will get new advice on public health,” Smith said.

“I appreciate the work that Dr. Deena Hinshaw has done, but I think that we’re in a new phase where we are now talking about treating Coronavirus (as) influenza.” 

Hinshaw, of course, gave Jason Kenney’s government advice to lockdown the province and to coerce Albertans into being vaccinated. Under her watch, Alberta Health Services entered places of worship to investigate whether restrictions were being followed and gave orders to arrest pastors.

Smith said Tuesday the unvaccinated have been discriminated against.

“We are not going to create a segregated society on the basis of medical (decisions),” she said.

In a statement to The Counter Signal, Smith’s press secretary Rebecca Polak said Smith will seek new advice on public health and will be developing a new team of public health advisors.

“Specifics have not yet been decided.”