Stelmach gov't stands by Duckett's departure
Opposition accuses Tories of political interference
By Keith Gerein And Karen Kleiss, Edmonton Journal November 25, 2010 The Stelmach government made no apology Wednesday for directly instigating the departure of Alberta Health Services CEO Stephen Duckett.

Despite allegations of political meddling and multiple resignations from the AHS superboard, Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky was unrepentant.

He said he was forced to intervene after a video of Duckett dismissing reporters questions by saying he was busy eating a cookie went viral on the Internet, sabotaging government efforts to focus attention on new remedies for the ailing public health system.

The incident also raised questions about whether Duckett could continue to function as leader of AHS, he said.

"As a result, I found it necessary to speak with the board chair and to offer some verbal directions to him and to the AHS board," Zwozdesky said.

"Those directions were to carefully consider and evaluate recent comments made by the CEO ... and to determine if, in the current climate, the ability of the CEO to perform his duties was compromised in any way," Zwozdesky said, adding he personally found Duckett's comments "inappropriate."

"They began to stand in the way of our need to move forward with the things that Albertans really want to be done," he said.

Premier Ed Stelmach said many Albertans wanted the government to remove Duckett from his post.

"The direction provided by the minister to the board certainly reflected the views of Albertans, especially the many that I've heard from," Stelmach told reporters.

"In many cases, they were upset about the comments obviously and also the fact that there was such a focus on personalities. A good plan came together and we just couldn't move forward.

"Now, with the decision reached by the board today, we will be able to move forward with the plan."

That plan was set out moments before Duckett encountered reporters Friday. Known as the "Overcapacity Protocol," it calls for hiring 500 more nurses and opening 81 new beds, bringing the total of new beds to 360 this fiscal year.

While opposition MLAs have been calling for Duckett's dismissal all week, the way the government handled it amounts to political interference, Liberal Leader David Swann said.

He said Zwozdesky's direction to the AHS board has created ambiguity about who is really in control of the health system, and whether Alberta Health Services truly operates at "arm's length" from politicians.

"Who can believe Alberta Health Services is in charge of health care?'" Swann asked. "Why did three members resign? There is no clarity about what their responsibility is and when they are going to be intervened upon."

Swann agreed Duckett had to go, but said the decision should have been based on the overall failures of the health system rather than public reaction to the recent "cookie" incident. He said if Zwozdesky is taking responsibility for pushing Duckett's departure, the government should also take responsibility for all the problems plaguing health care delivery.

"Any of us could have a faux pas with the media. That is hardly cause for dismissal," Swann said. "This, to me, is scapegoating of the first order."

He further suggested the AHS board members who decided not to resign might have been "coerced" to stay to avoid making the government look bad.

All of the opposition parties called for the dismantling of Alberta Health Services.

"It is time not just to get rid of Duckett, but to get rid of the board as well, and make the minister responsible and accountable for what happens in our health-care system," NDP Leader Brian Mason said earlier in the day.

Wildrose Alliance Leader Danielle Smith said the problem was that Duckett was not accountable to the public.

"You can't solve this problem by just hiring a better central planner; you need to dismantle the system," Smith said. "Having a single government monopoly responsible for the purchasing, the provision and the evaluation of the system simply isn't working. We're getting worse and worse service."

David Eggen, director of the advocacy group Friends of Medicare, said Duckett's departure was another example of a "crisis of leadership" for the health system -- a failure the outgoing AHS president and the government must share.

kkleiss@edmontonjournal.com

kgerein@edmontonjournal.com

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