Health Minister Terry Lake鈥檚 bid to have the province鈥檚 ombudsperson review the firing of eight health ministry employees falls far short of what is needed. Only an independent inquiry can credibly deliver the answers needed in this disgraceful affair.
After months of foot-dragging, Lake proposed Friday that the ombudsperson鈥檚 office investigate the firings.
It is a bad idea. The new ombudsperson, Jay Chalke, took over this week. Before that, he was an assistant deputy minister in the justice ministry. The ministry and Chalke鈥檚 colleagues were deeply involved in the process that led to the firings.
The issue is not whether Chalke could ignore his past role, or recuse himself and let staff conduct the investigation. It is whether a reasonable person could be concerned about conflict of interest and the independence of the investigation, given Chalke鈥檚 last job. On that basis, the proposal should fail.
Already, the Opposition, the fired employees, the former health deputy minister at the centre of the firings and others have rejected the credibility of an ombudsperson鈥檚 investigation.
That is not the only concern. Lake wrote Scott Hamilton, the Liberal MLA who chairs the legislative committee that can refer matters to the ombudsperson, asking the committee to request an investigation.
Lake鈥檚 letter noted that the ombudsperson鈥檚 basic responsibility is to investigate complaints about the 鈥渁dministrative processes鈥� of government.
But this issue is not about administrative processes. We know those were ignored.
The public, government employees, the victims and the family of Roderick MacIsaac, who killed himself after being fired, need to know why this happened. What motivated the government officials who claimed, falsely, that the RCMP was investigating? Did political considerations play a role? Why did a complaint turn into a witch hunt and public attack on eight individuals?
The government has already wasted large amounts of money on an internal investigation and lawyer Marcia McNeil鈥檚 flawed review. McNeil, hamstrung by narrow terms of reference set by the government and a lack of co-operation from managers, failed to provide the needed answers.
There is an air of coverup about virtually every action since the firings were trumpeted publicly almost three years ago.
We share all the concerns about the cost and time involved in independent inquiries. They too often seem to become money pits.
But that is not an inevitability. Lake could ask the legislative committee on finance and government services to draft specific, focused terms of reference and a timeline for an inquiry. The committee鈥檚 members, Liberals and New Democrats, could define the most important questions. Both parties should want an efficient process.
This affair has been horrendous for the people involved and shameful for the government鈥檚 credibility. No one in government, bureaucrat or politician, has accepted any responsibility or paid any price 鈥� except the smeared victims. And one of them paid the highest price.
The public needs an independent review. Instead, Lake is proposing yet another investigation that would be tainted from the start.
Only a commission of inquiry can dispel the grim cloud hanging over the government.
