English
A prominent Alberta physician and former leader of the Alberta Medical Association has announced his intention to seek the NDP nomination in the riding of Cypress-Medicine Hat. Dr. Paul Parks, an emergency department doctor with 26 years of experience, is challenging UCP Primary Health Minister Justin Wright for the seat in what is considered a conservative stronghold.
Parks Steps Off the Sidelines
Parks says he is entering the race reluctantly. He told reporters that years of trying to work with the provincial government had convinced him the UCP has little interest in front-line medical expertise. As a former president of the Alberta Medical Association, he led negotiations with the government on behalf of doctors across the province.
Stay connected to every major update — subscribe and follow us on the PhoenixQ website and across our social media platforms.
He has also been a vocal critic of Premier Danielle Smith’s health policies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a prominent public voice for front-line health workers and patients. The NDP nomination contest in Cypress-Medicine Hat is scheduled to take place within three weeks.
Emergency Room Crisis Drives His Decision
Parks has spoken out repeatedly about what he describes as a worsening crisis in Alberta’s emergency rooms. His concerns grew louder after 44-year-old Prashant Sreekumar died in December from an apparent cardiac arrest. Sreekumar had waited hours for treatment at an Edmonton emergency room before he died.
Parks also opposes the government’s dual-practice model for physicians. Currently limited to surgeons, the model allows doctors to offer private services while continuing to work in the public system. Parks fears the policy could ultimately destroy public health care in Alberta. “We are at an existential moment in this province in the sense that robust, publicly funded health care will be killed,” he said.
A Difficult Road Ahead
Beyond health care, Parks says he also supports a strong public education system and responsible government spending. However, he faces a tough electoral challenge. In the 2023 election, Wright won the Cypress-Medicine Hat seat with more than 60 per cent of the vote, finishing nearly 6,000 ballots ahead of the second-place NDP candidate.
Wright responded to Parks’ announcement on Monday. He wished Parks well and pointed to the UCP’s record on recruiting family doctors, expanding rural health care, and improving access to services. “I trust the people of Cypress-Medicine Hat to look past the political rhetoric and see the difference we are making,” Wright said.
Meanwhile, Premier Smith recently announced that Alberta hospitals are building capacity ahead of this year’s respiratory virus season. Her government is also funding a triage liaison physician program, first announced in January, which places physicians and health-care workers in busy emergency department waiting areas to speed up treatment. “Albertans can be confident that our health-care system is better prepared than ever to help them throughout the winter,” Smith said.
Parks says he plans to continue practising medicine for as long as possible, even if he wins the nomination. “I love my job,” he said. “I can ameliorate suffering, I can really relieve anxiety and worries, and I do that every day.”
