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Trudeau Backs Canada’s Chief Health Officer After Alberta Premier Says She Parrots China’s ‘Talking Points’

REUTERS/Blair Gable

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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OTTAWA — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other government ministers rallied Tuesday around Canadian Chief Health Officer Theresa Tam after the premier of Alberta said she has parroted “talking points” from China during the coronavirus outbreak.

“I understand that people can get anxious and impatient about things,” Trudeau told reporters from the driveway of his Ottawa residence. “But as a government we are going to remain grounded in science. We are going to remain grounded in our experts, who are doing an excellent job in ensuring that Canadians are kept safe and healthy. We are going to continue to work with top medical officials like Dr. Theresa Tam to make sure we are doing everything we need to do, and have done every step of the way, to keep Canadians safe.” (RELATED: Trudeau Sent 17 Tons Of Coronavirus Protective Supplies To China — Now Canada Running Low)

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam attends a news conference as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo

Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam attends a news conference as efforts continue to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 23, 2020. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was critical Monday of the Trudeau government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic in Canada, saying Tam has repeated China’s official line when it said the COVID-19 couldn’t be transmitted “human to human” and has objected to closing the Canadian border to isolate the disease.