It’s difficult to know if Premier Danielle Smith is brave or simply reckless.

In the end, it won’t matter much. Either way, she’s tied her political future to the albatross that is health care in this province.

Alberta is hardly alone when it comes to a malfunctioning health system. A combination of endlessly increasing demand and never-enough supply is crippling public systems across the Western world, something that’ll worsen as populations age, with fewer younger workers around to pick up the tab. (The huge numbers of newcomers currently pouring into our province will only exacerbate that demand.)

And although everyone understands the need for change, few are prepared to risk the consequences. “First, do no harm” isn’t just the mantra of physicians, it’s also a phrase resonating throughout the entire health-care organization.

As such, the response from those running this creaking system is to endlessly cry “it’s a crisis” and demand........

© Calgary Herald