The chair of Grey Bruce’s Board of Health is pointing the finger at the province’s Chief Medical Officer for causing a recent controversy involving board membership.
Board of Health Chair Nick Saunders says he was acting on direction from the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore, when he sent termination letters to all seven municipally-appointed members of the board earlier this month.
“Mr. Moore has created this problem,” Saunders says in an interview. “This actually should be landing at his feet, and not at our health unit’s feet.”
Bayshore News reviewed a July 18 correspondence signed by Moore which references an assessment report, which “found that the Board of Health has failed to ensure the adequacy of the quality of the administration or management of its affairs.”
“The Ministry takes the assessment report and recommendations very seriously given the significant issues revealed in the areas of governance and administration practices, management of funds, public health leadership, organizational culture, human resource management, and stakeholder relations,” Moore says in the July 18 correspondence.
Moore then requested several actions be taken “immediately,” including “work with the Counties of Bruce and Grey and the Ministry to immediately replace the municipal members on the Board of Health, with strong consideration for the appointment of non-elected municipal appointments.”
Saunders says when he sent termination letters on Aug. 6 to the seven municipal appointees on the Board of Health, he was acting on this direction from the Chief Medical Officer.
Nick Saunders, Chair of the Board of Health for Grey Bruce Public Health in an undated photo (image courtesy of GBPH)
“We actually sought legal advice on this, not knowing whether or not we could do it,” Saunders recalls. “On the advice of the lawyers, we were told this was a directive that he has given to you under the law and you have to follow it, because it was the type of directive which fell under the (Health Protection and Promotion Act).”
Moore also issued a direction under Section 83 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act — which empowers the Minister of Health to issue written direction to public health units — for the Board of Health to respond to the assessment report within 30 days, with an action plan and details about how the board will address recommendations in the report.
And another request from Moore was to “rectify issues identified in the assessment report regarding the current Medical Officer of Health.” Grey Bruce’s MOH Dr. Ian Arra was contacted for comment.
“I am unable to comment on governance matters,” Arra says in an email. “I continue to focus on supporting our Grey Bruce Public Health team to ensure delivery of services to the communities we serve.”
Bayshore News has not reviewed the “assessment report” being referenced, as it has not been made public. Saunders says there are a lot of “unsubstantiated and alleged things” in the report, but it is not public and he can’t share it.
“Again, under legal advice, I will not share it, because it has people’s names,” Saunders says. “And I’m not about to throw anybody under the bus or walk away from anybody.”
Last Friday, Moore acted with authority provided by the Health Protection and Promotion Act to assume the powers of Grey Bruce’s Board of Health. The wardens of Bruce and Grey counties later released a statement saying the Chief Medical Officer sent a letter to the seven municipal members of the board — who were sent termination notices on Aug. 6 — to communicate they all remain on the Board of Health.
Grey County has four municipal members on the board, and Bruce County three. They are: Georgian Bluffs Mayor Sue Carleton, Town of the Blue Mountains Mayor and Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs, West Grey Mayor Kevin Eccles, Meaford Deputy Mayor Shirley Keaveney, Kincardine Mayor Kenneth Craig, South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Jay Kirkland and Huron-Kinloss Mayor Don Murray.
All of the municipal Board of Health members were listed on the Grey Bruce Public Health website on Monday morning. They had been removed from the website after the Aug. 6 termination letters were sent.
Bayshore News contacted the Ministry of Health to ask why the Chief Medical Officer recommended the immediate replacement of all municipal appointees on the Grey Bruce Board of Health? Bayshore News also asked when the assessment report will be made public that prompted the Chief Medical Officer’s direction to the chair of the Grey Bruce Board of Health in July?
A Ministry of Health spokesperson responded with a statement, but did not address both questions:
“Following multiple complaints regarding the board’s operations, finances, and governance, the Chief Medical Officer of Health launched an independent review of the Grey Bruce Public Health Unit (GBPHU). The review identified serious concerns with the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities, including issues related to governance, leadership, financial management, and human resources,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health says in an email. “As a result of these findings, the Chief Medical Officer of Health has temporarily assumed the powers of the Board of Health for GBPHU under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. This change does not affect the operations of GBPHU. The public health unit will continue to deliver uninterrupted, high-quality health services to its communities.”
Saunders says he’s also frustrated by an order sent by Moore last week, which suggests the removal of municipal members from the Board of Health was attempted “unilaterally” by its chair (Saunders).
“I am also concerned that you are now trying to blame me for the replacement controversy, which was triggered, not by me, but by your July 18 written direction … at all times, I acted pursuant to your July 18 written direction, and I worked in lock-step with officials in your office,” Saunders says in an Aug. 15 note sent to Moore. “Consequently, the allegation that I acted unilaterally is inaccurate and extremely unfair.”
He adds he believes the important part of this situation is it’s taking away from real issues we face in the province and in Grey Bruce.
“And that is the issues of opioids, homelessness and mental health,” Saunders explains. “The work that has been done by the front-line workers and staff of the Grey Bruce Health Unit is phenomenal. They are the backbone of the organization. They’re what helps guide us as a board, as to the work that needs to be done. And I don’t want that forgotten, recognizing the undue stress this has caused.”