Ontario Health Minister David Caplan Resigns
Auditor-General’s Report on eHealth To Be Released
Oct 7, 2009
The opposition has been calling for Caplan’s resignation since last spring when reports of a spending scandal at eHealth first surfaced. Instead CEO Sarah Kramer, and Chairman Alan Hudson have both left eHealth. eHealth is an organization responsible for making Ontario’s health records electronic.
Auditor-General’s Report Details Spending Scandal Makes Four Recommendations
The $1 billion spending scandal detailed in the auditor-general’s report reaches back to ehealth’s predecessor Smart Systems for Health. It criticizes the McGuinty government for allowing spending on ehealth, and its predecessor Smart Systems for Health to get out of control. In an article published by CBC.CA Auditor-General Jim McCarter said Ontarians received nothing for their tax dollars: “Ontario taxpayers have not received value for money for this $-1 billion investment.” If properly implemented on a national basis, an eHealth agency could potentially save up to $6 billion.
The report tells a troubling story of an organization that at one point had only 30 full-time employees, with the remainder being high-priced consultants. Those consultants charged expenses including $2700 flights from Alberta, $300 for reading an article on electronic health records, and for watching an episode of TVO’s current affairs program The Agenda with Steve Pakin on eHealth, then discussing it on Toronto’s subway. There were also untendered contracts allegedly awarded to Liberal-friendly consulting companies. McCarter confirmed in comments published on CBC.CA that favourtaism toward “certain companies without giving other firms a chance to compete were largely true. “
The report makes four recommendations for stopping future scandals. They are, according to CBC.CA:
· Develop a strategic plan for E.H.R. implementation
· Improved oversight by a board of directors
· Less reliance on outside consultants
· Ensure procurement policies are followed
The eHealth agency was shutdown in September 2008. Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced steps to monitor the expenses, and salaries of top bureaucrats.
Caplan’s resignation triggers McGuinty Cabinet Shuffle, Opposition Reacts
David Caplan’s sudden resignation has triggered the need for a cabinet shuffle. M.P.P. (Member of Provincial Parliament) Laurel Brotten has returned to cabinet; she replaces Deb Matthews who moves to the Health portfolio. Left in his post is Energy and Infrastructure Minister George Smitherman This is the second cabinet shuffle this year.
The two opposition parties have been calling for Caplan’s resignation for some time. In comments published by theglobeandmail.com Tim Hudak remarked on the timing: “Only when he was smoked out did he finally act.” Later in the article, Hudak took it a step further calling for Smitherman’s resignation. Smitherman served as Health Minister before moving to Energy and Infrastructure. Smitherman is rumoured to be planning a bid to become Toronto’s new mayor. New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Andrea Horwath added an ominous sentiment in comments published by THESPEC.Com, saying she thought this wasn’t over: “I don’t believe this is the end of the situation though. I believe there’s a lot more work this government needs to do in order to restore the confidence of the public.”
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