The B.C. government has asked the province’s ombudsperson to probe a flawed Health Ministry investigation that led to the dismissal of eight drug researchers.
The Opposition NDP and other groups have been pressing the government for an independent inquiry.
B.C. ombudsperson Jay Chalke is to investigate how a tip in March 2012 about possible data mismanagement and contract irregularities in the Health Ministry’s pharmaceutical division led three months later to the dismissal of eight researchers.
Health Minister Terry Lake said the ombudsperson will be asked “to investigate the events leading up to the decision to terminate the employees, the decision to terminate itself, and the actions taken by government following the terminations, in addition to any other matters he may deem worthy of investigation.”
The ombudsperson has the power to compel people to provide information under oath if they do not co-operate voluntarily, Lake said. The government would like to see the investigation completed by the year’s end. A budget has not been determined. The ombudsperson report will be made public.
Events known so far include the touting of an RCMP investigation that never happened, settlement of six wrongful dismissal suits (two remain before the courts), stalled drug research that led to unproved allegations in court documents about the influence of pharmaceutical companies on government, and a suicide by one of the fired employees.
“From everything I see, I think when people understand, they will understand the government over-reached in some cases but in many ways this was a concern government had to react to, and that there was no conspiracy or attempt to try to discredit people or to harm people’s reputation,” Lake said in an interview.
“It was [the government] trying to fix a problem that was brought to our attention but I think for everyone to understand how that happened and how we can address these issues better in the future will be very valuable.”
NDP Leader John Horgan said he’s not convinced that Chalke, recently appointed as ombudsperson after working as an assistant deputy minister of justice, has the ability to separate himself from the Justice Ministry. The ministry would have inevitably been dealing with issues around the firings, he said. “But I am pleased the government has acknowledged their error in terms of trying to stifle debate around [the health firings]. Let’s hope we are finally going to get to the bottom of who made these decisions and why.”
There have been several reports about the firings but none have answered questions about who ordered them and why.
Lake said the ombudsperson — chosen by an all-party committee, endorsed unanimously by the legislative assembly — is the best person to investigate. Assigning the investigation to his office, with a staff of 37, is also a less expensive and faster route, Lake said.
Chalke would not comment.
