Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s top adviser and key strategist for the province’s addiction strategy is retiring from public service.
The premier made the announcement on Oct. 8, thanking Marshall Smith, 52, for his work over the past years as chief of staff in her office. The premier hailed him as the architect of Alberta’s recovery-based drug addiction policy, a strategy the province calls the “Alberta Recovery Model.”
“It has been an honour to work with Marshall, I and our entire province owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for his service to Alberta,” wrote the premier in
a post on X. “Countless lives have been saved and improved thanks to his commitment and service to the people of Alberta, steering our government’s response to the addiction crisis.“
The premier said she looks forward to continuing to work with Smith on the province’s approach to mental health and addiction, adding she hopes he can help other provinces build a similar model. “Doing so will save lives,” she said.
Rob Anderson, executive director of the premier’s office, will take over the role by the end of the month.
Marshall Smith’s dedication to addiction recovery
stems from a personal addiction journey. He was once homeless with substance abuse issues on the streets of Vancouver. After a four-year struggle with drugs in the early 2000s, he decided to venture into the field of recovery.
He worked with former Premier Jason Kenney on shaping the province’s mental health and addictions system, and with Premier Smith after she took office in 2022.
He has also developed recovery programs in British Columbia and delivered lectures on addiction recovery in B.C. institutions such as the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and Douglas College,
according to the Canada Strong and Free Network.
The philosophy of the Alberta Recovery Model is that “recovery is possible,” and that people should be able to access and pursue recovery easily,
according to the strategy’s description.
The program addresses issues by
focusing on “long-term measurable improvements” and emphasizing the creation of a “recovery community” in which families, friends, and workplaces can support a person’s recovery. The aim is to help affected Albertans achieve a “life free of illicit drugs and improved health.”
The strategy includes harm reduction services as a tool within the recovery process rather than as an approach in itself.
The province’s recovery-based approach has been criticized by some harm reduction advocates, who
describe the Alberta model as a “long-term plan consisting of a heavy-handed focus on abstinence.”
“Harm reduction is an underpinning philosophy of care that should be integrated into every practice setting,” said a
document titled “The Alberta Model isn’t a path to recovery – it’s social murder,” from Progress Report, a
self-described left-wing media project produced by Progress Alberta. “It is about understanding that everyone’s journey in recovery is different and should be tailored according to the needs and priorities of that individual.”
Recovery is not “a commodified product, or a standardized end goal for every person who uses drugs,” Progress wrote.
Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Dan Williams
said in July the provincial government was “cautiously optimistic” after data suggested opioid deaths in the province had dropped to their lowest level in four years.
Opioid deaths in the province stood at 22.3 deaths per 100,000 people in June, the lowest since June 2020, when opioid deaths accounted for 39.2 per 100,000 people,
according to provincial estimates. The last time opioid deaths fell below 30 was April of 2020, at 27.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
