Nouvelles

Telegraph Journal
p. A3, samedi, 10 janvier 2009

Tory health critic calls for minister's removal

Quentin Casey

 

In a recent interview, Murphy said the current legal challenge against his health reforms could travel all the way to the country's Supreme Court and last up to seven years. The Moncton North MLA said he doesn't expect to still be health minister by the time the challenge is settled.

Blaney said that cavalier attitude is unacceptable.

"Mike is being incredibly irresponsible by saying, 'I caused this mess but I'm not going to be around to clean it up.' He created it," she said. "He is 100 per cent responsible for all that is happening, yet he can turn around and flippantly say, 'I don't have to deal with it because I'm not going to be around.'

"The arrogance of the man is stunning."

The constitutional challenge before Murphy stems from his decision to chop the province's regional health authorities from eight to two administrative entities.

Critics of the reforms argue the government is stripping the governance of health care away from the francophone community. As well, they say the move is causing an unfair distribution of specialized medical services between mainly English- and French-speaking regions.

Blaney said the stakes involved - from the future of francophone culture to the legal costs - are too high to keep Murphy at the health helm.

Especially, she said, because he appears unwilling to back down on the changes.

"The possible repercussions for the people of the province could be huge. Is that a risk the premier is willing to take because Mike Murphy has an agenda and because he doesn't want to lose face?" said the Rothesay MLA.

The lawyer leading the constitutional challenge, Michel Doucet, said this week that the provincial government appears determined to drag the court case out as long as possible.

According to Doucet, the province is ignoring legal deadlines that should already have landed the two sides in court. He said the province's defence is months overdue.

And, he said, Murphy is drawing on the seemingly limitless resources of the Department of Justice.

Blaney said that is hardly surprising.

"I think (Murphy) has this innate need to control. He wants total control over the whole health system, including the people he appoints," she said.

"None of this would be happening if Mike hadn't bulldozed the health authority changes through the legislature."

Murphy would not provide comment for this story. He refuses to speak with reporters from the Telegraph-Journal, citing disapproval with the paper's editorial stance.

When he launched his reforms last year, Murphy said the changes would save millions of dollars and drastically improve health care in the province.