$600K Severance for Fired Fraser Health CEO Proves NDP’s Double Standard — Golden Parachutes for Executives, Pink Slips for Workers

Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford is slamming the NDP government after new documents revealed — as reported by The Tyee — that fired Fraser Health CEO Victoria Lee will receive $609,335 in severance, roughly 15 times what a nurse would get under the same circumstances.

Halford first pressed the Minister of Health for answers about the payout in the Legislature back in April. The Minister refused to disclose the figure, and Halford says its release confirms the NDP’s misplaced priorities.

"This government is rewarding failure at the top while cutting jobs lower down," said Halford. 

"British Columbians are getting a masterclass in NDP priorities: golden parachutes for executives, pink slips for workers, and zero accountability for the mess they’ve made of our health care system." 

The $600K payout comes as internal memos obtained by The Globe and Mail reveal the Ministry of Health quietly ordered the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) to balance its budget months before publicly announcing a “corporate-spending review.” That directive has already triggered the elimination of 57 management positions and 61 vacant roles, with more cuts expected. None of this was disclosed when the order was made. 

In a clear case of hiring the arsonist as the fire chief, Penny Ballem — the same failed consultant who helped design this broken system — is now being paid $400,000 to “fix” it, on top of the $1.4 million she has pocketed over the last four years as the Premier’s special health adviser. Halford says it’s a staggering example of the NDP’s double standard.

"While ERs are closing, waitlists are growing, and patients are waiting hours in hallways, the NDP expanded management ranks, blew health authority budgets, and then tried to clean up the mess in the dark," Halford said. "British Columbians deserve to know how many more cushy executive payouts are coming, and how deep these cuts to the health system will go." 

"The NDP’s health care record is chaos on the front lines and cash for the corner office," Halford added. "That’s not putting patients first or front-line workers first."