FREDERICTON, NB — New Brunswick Health Minister Bruce Fitch has expressed doubts about the necessity of a public inquiry into costly travel-nurse contracts, despite support for the idea from some of his party colleagues, including former health minister Dorothy Shephard.
During a press conference, Fitch questioned whether an inquiry would resolve the contradictions that emerged during three days of legislative hearings on the travel-nurse agreements. “You’re going to have two versions of what happened, and people may still not be convinced that their version isn’t the correct version,” he stated. “I’m just wondering, where we are trying to focus on patient outcomes … would it be a worthwhile effort?”
The all-party public accounts committee voted to call for an inquiry after the hearings, citing unanswered questions and gaps in information about the travel-nurse contracts, which are expected to cost up to $340 million by the end of the last contract in 2026. The committee’s chair, Liberal MLA Chuck Chiasson, emphasized the need for an inquiry due to the magnitude of public funding involved.
Shephard, who first proposed the idea of an inquiry, expressed concerns about whether the problem was being adequately addressed. “I don’t know that we know everything yet,” she said, highlighting the potential total cost of the contracts. “I really think there’s cause for more investigation.”
Under the provincial Inquiries Act, only the provincial cabinet can authorize an inquiry, which would allow a commissioner to call witnesses and demand documents. Chiasson acknowledged the challenge, saying, “I’m not optimistic that the government will want to embark on a public inquiry.”
Fitch did not entirely dismiss the possibility but noted that recent findings by Auditor General Paul Martin and the legislative hearings had already provided substantial information. He also pointed out the involvement of the public accounts committee, which includes Progressive Conservative, Liberal, and Green MLAs, none of whom opposed the motion for an inquiry.
During the hearings, health care leaders answered questions about contracts with private travel-nurse companies, which had cost taxpayers $173 million as of February. Vitalité Health Network CEO Dr. France Desrosiers testified that the deputy minister of health, Eric Beaulieu, had given her the “green light” to sign the contracts in the summer of 2022. However, Beaulieu did not mention this during his own testimony, leading to discrepancies in accounts.
Fitch did not confirm whether Beaulieu had given Desrosiers explicit approval but stated his full support for his deputy. “This is where we get into a debate of what was said, when it was said and who said it,” he remarked.
Contradictions also arose regarding alternative options Vitalité claimed to have offered the province to reduce the need for private travel nurses. Premier Blaine Higgs argued that these options would have entailed costly, long-term changes to nurse compensation. In contrast, Desrosiers claimed the proposed measures were temporary and would have cost $25 million annually, within the government’s recent budget surpluses.
Chiasson highlighted these contradictions as a reason for an inquiry, stating, “There were a lot of questions that weren’t really satisfactorily answered. And members were just not satisfied that all of the information that was available was given to us and that we were given the full picture.”
While Chiasson did not commit the Liberal party to calling an inquiry if they win the upcoming provincial election, he emphasized the importance of addressing the issue. Shephard also noted that an inquiry could allow questioning of the two trustees who managed the Vitalité and Horizon health authorities and the CEO of Canadian Health Labs, which held the majority of the contracts.
The debate over travel-nurse contracts continues to spark controversy, reflecting broader concerns about the province’s health care system and the management of public funds.
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