IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM– NOT THE WHISTLEBLOWER!
“McGuinty Government has a duty to help LHSC prioritize”:Elliott
(Queen’s Park) –Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition, MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa) slammed the McGuinty government once again for it’s handling of the scandalous spending practices at London Health Sciences Centre (LSHC).
“The spending scandal has been uncovered, and it seems that London Health Sciences Centre’s primary concern is to locate the whistleblower” said Elliott this morning in the Legislature, “Should this be the primary focus of London Health Sciences Centre,” she asked the Acting Premier.
An investigation into contracts let by London hospitals to the Atwood Group, owned by a former colleague of LHSC VP Diane Beattie was launched in May, 2009 after a tip from a whistleblower. A report leaked last week identified a total of $3.3 million inappropriately allocated to consultants via untendered contracts.
More recent reports indicate that the LHSC has now cancelled a current contract with the Atwood Group for work to be done on the development of a diabetes registry for use by the South West Local Health Integration Network.
“We all know you can’t simply cancel a contract without financial repercussions,” said Elliott.
“You simply cannot take a hands-off approach and walk away from this mess. Ontarians want to know what this government and the Minister of Health are going to do about this situation.”
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For more information:
Christine Elliott, MPP
(905) 430-1141