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The minister’s reaction would be problematic under normal circumstances; it is profoundly unacceptable during a global health crisis. The minister’s choice to threaten several members of the public would cause a reasonable person to lose faith in his capacity to competently lead his ministry. These are grounds, too, for the premier to lose faith in his health minister and demand the minister’s resignation.

As recipients of inappropriate communication from the public ourselves, we appreciate that some of the content the minister and his family received recently may well have been uncalled for and unseemly. Already, some suggest that the minister’s reaction is defensible because he thought he was defending his spouse. This is neither a plausible nor reasonable interpretation of the minister’s actions. It is always unacceptable to use this rationale to attack individuals who pose substantive questions or offer substantive comments about public policy. Doing so is inconsistent with inalienable, foundational principles of parliamentary democracy.

Further, all elected officials, and especially officials responsible for key cabinet ministries, cannot and may not openly threaten members of the public. These threats undermine the provision of good governance in Alberta by creating a chill against those who exercise their democratic rights, including holding the government to account.

Minister Shandro’s actions require him to apologize to those he threatened and tender his resignation as minister of health, or for the premier to dismiss him from his post. The premier must act now and appoint an individual capable of providing Albertans with good governance in the Ministry of Health during this unprecedented global health emergency.

Melanee Thomas is an associate professor in the department of political science at the University of Calgary;Daniel Voth is an assistant professor in the department of political science at the University of Calgary; Duane Bratt is a professor in the department of economics, justice and policy studies at Mount Royal University.