Lawyers of Fired Health Workers Issue Ultimatum on Ombuds' Probe

To protect the integrity of his office, British Columbia Ombudsperson Jay Chalke may have to drop his investigation into the botched 2012 health ministry firings, according to the lawyers for three people harmed by those firings.

"We see only two options that maintain the integrity of your office," lawyers Joanna Gislason and Gary Caroline wrote in a March 7 letter to Chalke. He could either go back to the committee that referred the matter to him and "address the deficiencies" in the mandate he'd been given, they wrote, "or discontinue your investigation altogether."

Wrongly Fired Health Workers Reject Ombudsperson Review

Eight people affected by the botched firings from the British Columbia health ministry in 2012 say a proposed review by the Ombudsperson will fail to provide the answers and accountability that they and the public need.

The B.C. legislature's select standing committee on finance and government services is considering a request from Health Minister Terry Lake to ask recently appointed Ombudsperson Jay Chalke to review what went wrong with the firings.

Ombudsperson Pleads for Delay to Health Firings Probe

British Columbia's ombudsperson pleaded with a legislative committee on July 15 to delay an investigation of the botched 2012 health ministry firings until he gets more power.

Under pressure to launch a public inquiry into the matter, earlier this month Health Minister Terry Lake floated the idea of the ombudsperson's office investigating. The legislative committee is currently debating the idea.

But Ombudsperson Jay Chalke said he needs an amendment to the Ombudsperson Act in order to probe current or former employees or contractors of the government. Without it, he said, "it's simply unwise and unworkable to proceed."

Health Firings: How Ombudsperson's Hands Could Be Tied

The British Columbia government is steering an examination of the botched 2012 health ministry firings to the Ombudsperson, an office that the attorney general can block from investigating top political officials.

Carole James, the MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill and the vice-chair of a legislature committee being asked to refer the matter to the Ombudsperson, said the NDP opposition is concerned that office's reach may be too limited to get to the bottom of what happened.

"This is a very serious issue," James said, adding the government appears to be rushing the committee's decision. "It has been mishandled from the start. I want to make sure we as a committee do our due diligence to get this back on track."