Thoughts on BC Politics and More

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 budge...

Conservative MLAs are condemning the BC NDP government’s decision to slash funding to the critical BC Family Residence Program, which helps families stay with their seriously ill children during hospital visits. At the same time, shocking revelations show that the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) currently employs 336 individuals earning salaries of $300,000 or more annually. “The hypocrisy of the NDP’s priorities couldn’t be clearer,” said Peter Milobar, Conservative MLA for Kamloops Centre and Opposition Finance Critic. “Families with sick kids in the hospital facing some of the worst moments of their lives shouldn’t be punished while this government continues to protect their own insider contracts and bloated administrative salaries. This NDP Government’s decision to cut help for families with sick kids is not just wrong - it’s disgusting.” The BC Family Residence Program, which previously covered up to 30 nights of lodging per hospital stay, has now been cut drastically ...

Is being the CEO of a British Columbia health authority a part time job? Or do taxpayers expect that person to dedicate their full attention to one role, in exchange for the measly salary of $350,000 a year? It’s an interesting question that has emerged after news this week that the BC Greens and NDP have launched a sweeping review of the primary-care health system and community health centres, led by Dr. Penny Ballem ... ... she was given what seemed like the enormous job of reviewing the leadership and structure of an organization that includes the BC Children’s Hospital, BC Cancer, the BC Ambulance Service, the BC Centre for Disease Control and more. Thousands of employees. More than $5 billion in annual spending. Orders to crack it all open, review how it’s working and report back a new structure with efficiencies. It was billed as a full-time gig, and came with a full-time salary of $350,000. Even Minister of Health Josie Osborne thought it was a job worth Ballem’s complete attent...