Health
Minister Bruce Fitch earlier in the week accused Canadian Health Labs
of 'predator pricing' by using leverage it had during a health crisis to
get advantageous terms. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
New
Brunswick's health minister has refused to give the Vitalité health
authority's CEO a vote of confidence over the travel-nurse issue.
Bruce
Fitch refused to tell reporters Thursday whether he thinks Dr. France
Desrosiers should remain in the position following this week's scathing
audit of the health authority's contracts with Canadian Health Labs.
"That's
a good question. We changed the governance," Fitch said, referring to
the re-establishment of health authority boards last year.
"She's now an employee of the board. The board now hires and fires the CEO."
A
report this week by Auditor General Paul Martin criticized Vitalité's
signing of three contracts with Canadian Health Labs, concluding the
agreements "were not reflective of best practices and did not
demonstrate value for money."
Dr.
France Desrosiers is president and CEO of Vitalité Health Network.
Health Minister Bruce Fitch repeatedly avoided commenting on whether he
thinks the Vitalité board should terminate her employment. (Bader Ben Amara/Radio-Canada)
Martin
questioned why the health authority did not seek bids from other
companies and did not submit the agreement to legal review by provincial
government lawyers.
Fitch echoed some of that criticism Thursday.
"There
were other travel-nurse companies out there that were hired that had
better terms," said the minister, who earlier in the week accused
Canadian Health Labs of "predator pricing" by using leverage it had
during a health crisis to get advantageous terms.
Martin's
audit also faulted Vitalité for not handing over three of its own
internal audits on its use of travel nurses — for which it paid the
company up to $300 per hour per nurse — and for agreeing to auto-renewal
causes that could extend the costly agreements for years.
Even so, Fitch repeatedly avoided commenting on whether he thinks the Vitalité board should keep or terminate Desrosiers.
"Now that decision rests with the board and we should leave those decisions with the board," he said.
"I don't think that a decision or a discussion for me today."
Auditor
General Paul Martin questioned why the health authority did not seek
bids from other companies and did not submit the agreement to legal
review by provincial government lawyers. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
The Vitalité
and Horizon health authority boards were re-established last year after
two years during which the boards were run by trustees reporting to
Premier Blaine Higgs.
The first Vitalité contract with Canadian Health Labs was signed in July 2022, just days after the board was suspended.
Fitch
gave a stronger defence of the Department of Social Development's
contract with the company for travel nurses in long-term care homes,
signed earlier in 2022 when he was minister at that department.
The opposition Liberals focused on that contract in Thursday's Question Period.
"A
lot of money has gone unaccounted for without the kinds of checks and
balances many New Brunswickers use for their own businesses and their
own work," Liberal Leader Susan Holt said.
She asked current Social Development Minister Jill Green why the department didn't put the contract out for bids.
Green said long-term care homes experienced around 400 positive COVID tests at the time and had to move fast.
Later,
Fitch reminded reporters that the Liberals were part of an all-party
COVID cabinet committee that worked on the government's pandemic
response at the time.
And while the Canadian Health
Labs contract wasn't put to that committee for approval, the Liberals
"know how quickly decisions had to be made," Fitch said.
"I
will trump saving lives in nursing homes over procedural matters any
day of the week. … If the opposition is worried about some receipts,
those procedures hopefully will be corrected."
Jacques
Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick
since 2000. He grew up in Moncton and covered Parliament in Ottawa for
the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. He has reported on every New
Brunswick election since 1995 and won awards from the Radio Television
Digital News Association, the National Newspaper Awards and Amnesty
International. He is also the author of five non-fiction books about New
Brunswick politics and history.
Methinks Higgy and Fitch know why their buddy Dr. France Desrosiers may wish to speak with me now N'esy Pas?
David Amos
I bet Mr Outhouse regrets taking this job
Sean Adams
Reply to David Amos
Got to admit, though, Outhouse is an apt name for a pol, 'cos they're all full of it!
David Amos
Reply to Sean Adams
Kinda like the name of Higgy's buddy the political lawyer I ran against 3 times
JOhn D Bond
Isn't a more important question whether the
public has confidence in the minister? This governments days are
numbered before the next election. That is what should be focused on.
Sean Adams
Not allowed to diss the Irvings or the Outhouses I guess LOL
Albalita Rose
Well when you cover up t ree sun....that's a pretty low bar...
David Amos
Reply to Albalita Rose
Please explain real slow
Bill Watson
I would instead fire the Minister.
Art McCarthy
It's OK Minister Fitch; we don't have confidence in you.
David Amos
Reply to Art McCarthy
Surely you jest
William Morton
So, Dr. France Desrosiers is to become the
latest person thrown to the curb by the current administration's lack of
competence and ability.
David Amos
Reply to William Morton
Don't bet on it
Doug kirby
Oh my another one bites the dust...I guarantee they all knew what was going on..Fitch and higgs included
David Amos
Reply to Doug kirby
Its easy to see though all the BS Its not Rocket Science
Denis Van Humbeck
And we have MP's hiding things.
David Amos
Reply to Denis Van Humbeck
They always do
Allan Marven
Might as well terminate another one and keep the taxpayer funded lawyer gravy train moving. At least something is.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Allan Marven
Par for the course Maybe someday somebody will figure out what I have been telling folks for 20 very long years
William Peters
Who is left with any confidence in this
government? They just look to fire someone every time something blows up
that they orchestrated to begin with. Putting out an order to have
healthcare run on fumes is asking for a whole lot of problems to arise.
The inherent problems that come with not spending will never be able to
be managed away by CEOs. They' 'll be fired one after another to
scapegoat someone.
Allan Marven
Reply to William Peters
Didn't you get your flyer LOL? Mrs Popenrock
has a new wardrobe, She's good with it. The flyer has to be worth a buck
a copy easy. Wonder how many went out? Last count NB population was
approx 750 G ..total.
David Amos
Content Deactivated Reply to William Peters
I never had any confidence in any government Why else would I run as an Independent 7 times?
Gilles Vienneau
Under the bus as per usual. While the board of
both authorities was fired, they hired two people to "improve things".
This is one of the thing they did rspidly as there was goind to be
two-three emergencies thay were going to close. At that time, Higgs and
Fitch were beating the drum being sinproud of those nominations. Then,
the big bus arrives and squish you. Ah, politics in New Brunswink;
banana republic with an oligarch King.
David Amos
Reply to Gilles Vienneau
Speaking of the health authority board Higgy and Dr.
Desrosiers know what I think of them I emailed them my indignation after
making comments
CBC News asked for an interview with Desrosiers about the dinner but Vitalité made Soucy available instead.
The dinner featured federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as a guest speaker.
"I would rather spend my Friday night with my kids at
home than driving four hours to Saint John and back," he said. "But
that's the way we have to contribute to political parties."
Mack Leigh
Way, way past time that those in government no
matter the position must be held accountable. Hire those most qualified
for the position and not as a political appointment. If they do not do
their job properly then they get the boot with no severance package and
no recommendations.
MR Cain
Reply to Mack Leigh
Never get an applicant.
Shawn Tabor
Reply to Mack Leigh
Now your talking or at least its a start.
David Amos
Reply to Mack Leigh
How do you propose to bring that about?
Kevin Archibald
Those contracts were so blatantly wrong. How could any sensible, ethical person sign them?
Mack Leigh
Reply to Kevin Archibald
Guess you just answered your own question with :
sensible, ethical person -- which seems to be an extreme rarity
nowadays. Those in power must be held accountable.
G. Timothy Walton
Reply to Kevin Archibald
They were an impulse hire by Higgs, so I wouldn't have high expectations.
Dr.
France Desrosiers is president and CEO of Vitalité Health Network.
Health Minister Bruce Fitch repeatedly avoided commenting on whether he
thinks the Vitalité board should terminate her employment. (Bader Ben Amara/Radio-Canada)
Auditor
General Paul Martin questioned why the health authority did not seek
bids from other companies and did not submit the agreement to legal
review by provincial government lawyers. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
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