Ottawa professor criticized for tweets calling Alberta greedy for asking for field hospitals during pandemic

OTTAWA (660 NEWS) – An Ottawa professor is facing harsh criticism for tweets suggesting the federal government should not provide field hospitals to Alberta.

Earlier this week the CBC reported that the provincial government was in talks with the Canadian Red Cross and the feds to possibly build field hospitals to deal with growing COVID-19 cases.

Amir Attaran, a professor of law and medicine at the University of Ottawa, sent out a string of tweets on Wednesday saying the provincial government is purely at fault and Alberta should pay for the hospitals.

First, the COVID mess is Alberta’s own making, after ignoring mountains of advice. Kenney, Shandro, and Hinshaw chose this.

The UCP preached “personal responsibility”, rather than order disease controls. Very well: let Kenney, Shandro, and Hinshaw be personally responsible.

— Amir Attaran (@AmirAttaran@mstdn.social) (@profamirattaran) December 3, 2020

WATCH: ‘You Albertans are killing yourselves’: Ottawa Professor faces backlash over series of tweets

The tweets elicited a flurry of responses suggesting it was petty and cruel to suggest Albertans should suffer during the pandemic and not ask for help.

Attaran then doubled down Friday with a response calling Alberta greedy and saying “Lots of Albertans mad at me. Don’t give a damn.

“I’m not the one killing you. YOU Albertans are killing yourselves by refusing to lock down or wear masks. But instead of fixing the problem’s source, you beg Ottawa for field hospitals to warehouse more dying! Grow up already.”

Lots of Albertans mad at me. Don’t give a damn.

I’m not the one killing you. YOU Albertans are killing yourselves by refusing to lock down or wear masks. But instead of fixing the problem’s source, you beg Ottawa for field hospitals to warehouse more dying! Grow up already.

— Amir Attaran (@AmirAttaran@mstdn.social) (@profamirattaran) December 4, 2020

Local economists also chimed in on Attaran’s comments saying it’s a cruel viewpoint and that he is calling for Albertans to suffer even more.

Others said the professor failed to see make a distinction between the government and the people of Alberta.

Calgary City Councillor Jyoti Gondek recently tweeted her disapproval saying “I’ve worked with a lot of academics over the years and have never come across one who is more callous & turd-worthy than this piece of trash. Not someone we need to listen to.”

I’ve worked with a lot of academics over the years & have never come across one who is more callous & turd-worthy than this piece of trash. Not someone we need to listen to. Not even someone whose existence we need to acknowledge. Keep your weak ass opinions to yourself. https://t.co/Hsp5iVkjdz

— Jyoti Gondek (@JyotiGondek) December 4, 2020

Attaran spoke to 660 NEWS Friday to provide further reaction to the tweets.

“I truly don’t care,” he said, calling from rural California.

"I truly don't care."

I spoke to @profamirattaran to respond to the criticism his tweets are receiving, after he said the federal government should not provide field hospitals to Alberta. He says this is a problem the province needs to solve itself. #ableg #yyc #yeg pic.twitter.com/KXl1yrIn9D

— Tom Ross (@Tommy_Slick) December 4, 2020

“It is foolhardy, it is unscientific, and Albertans need to — to quote Jim Prentice — look in the mirror and solve this problem at home,” he continued. “For the richest province to demand federal financial assistance to deal with the COVID crisis that is made at home, made in Edmonton by the provincial government, is simply unjust.”

He said that bringing in field hospitals will not solely solve the problem, and pointed out the irony of Alberta requesting this sort of federal help while also demanding a fair deal from Ottawa around policies such as equalization.

“Are you seriously asking that Atlantic Canada, which is much poorer, which has done brilliantly fighting COVID, should subsidize Alberta’s failure here? That is beyond unjust, that is exploitative,” he said. “You can’t solve that by adding hospital beds linearly. Basic mathematics.”

Attaran said that most of his ire is directed toward the provincial government, but there is also anger directed at some Albertans who refuse to follow public health guidelines.

“Do you insist on your right to freedom — spelled F-R-E-E-D-U-M-B — do you really insist on this to not wear masks, and therefore become sick yourself and therefore make your neighbours sick? I’m sorry, this is not a position for which I can muster even the least sympathy.”

He added that the numbers show Alberta is performing very poorly with the most active cases in the country, and it eclipses other provinces that are also in a bad spot, like Ontario.

“The decisions made in Edmonton and decisions made by individual Albertans who prize their liberty to the point of death are simply morally and scientifically deplorable,” he said.

“And if people want to be angry at me for saying that, you know what? Go ahead, knock yourselves out.”