The B.C. government has fired a sixth worker as part of its investigation into an alleged breach of privacy and conflict-of-interest rules in the Health Ministry's pharmaceutical services division.
B.C. Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid confirmed Wednesday that "one more person has been terminated in our data-breach investigation."
MacDiarmid announced in September that an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct, data management and contracting-out had resulted in seven people being fired or suspended without pay.
This week, the total fired increased to six, with a seventh claiming in court documents his suspension constituted constructive dismissal without cause.
"All who have been terminated have been notified in writing of the reasons for this," MacDiarmid said.
The minister called the alleged breaches of public trust "deeply concerning."
The allegations by the B.C. Health Ministry have not been proven in court.
The government has not named those fired, nor has it released any evidence of its claims.
Sources confirm those fired are: Bob Hart, director of data access, research and stewardship; Ron Mattson, a special projects manager; David Scott, a senior researcher; Ramsay Hamdi, a senior economist; and University of Victoria PhD student Roderick MacIsaac.
Two others involved are the co-directors of research and evidence development in the ministry's pharmaceutical branch: Rebecca Warburton, at UVic, and Malcolm Maclure, at the University of B.C.
Warburton's lawyer confirmed Wednesday receipt of a termination letter but would not comment further.
Last month, Maclure filed a wrongful dismissal and defamation suit in B.C. Supreme Court.
The B.C. Government Employees' Union represents three of the fired employees: Scott, Hamdi and MacIsaac.
It filed three grievances over their suspensions, then another three over their firings.
As a result of the ministry's investigation, drug research and data sharing with drug researchers has been suspended.
The list of people being questioned is expanding.
"It's a complex investigation," MacDiarmid said Wednesday.
"Because of the complexity, more people are being contacted."
In response to a civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court on Oct. 5, the Health Ministry says Maclure was fired with cause and accused him of giving "preferential treatment to his preferred candidate and member of his extended family" when his co-director was being hired.
Maclure's co-director was Warburton. Her husband is Bill Warburton, who is related to Maclure.
Bill Warburton, a labour and health economist, was hired as a subcontractor by UVic on the Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutic Initiative study, but never received ministry data, according to a source close to the investigation.
The initiative started in 2007 as a joint project involving the provincial government, Alzheimer Society of B.C., UBC and UVic. Medication is provided for patients with Alzheimer's disease and information is collected on the treatments.
In a statement last month, Mattson - a View Royal councillor - said the ministry's investigation relates to that study and a $2.4-million direct contract award to UVic "approved of by senior ministry staff well above my pay grade." Mattson was the study's project manager.
The Health Ministry's investigation started in May as the result of a tip to B.C.'s auditor general in March.
