Why eHealth Scandal Needs Public Inquiry
Ontario’s eHealth scandal has grown to the point where only a public inquiry can do justice to the concerns raised by opposition MPPs and indeed by virtually all taxpayers.
Opposition Leader Tim Hudak called for the inquiry last week. He pointed out this would be an impartial and independent review, with a full mandate to subpoena testimony and documents. It would complete the work the Auditor General began. The Auditor General has confirmed that about $1 billion has been wasted in the e-Health fiasco.
Some of the unfinished business from the report of the Auditor General includes the unanswered question of whether there was deliberate collusion and bid-rigging. A public inquiry would also investigate attempts to block the Auditor General’s probe and also the role of the McGuinty government’s Management Board of Cabinet in waiving the rules relating to approximately $30 million in untendered contracts. Concerns have also been raised over expenditures at Cancer Care Ontario for consulting contracts. A full inquiry would explain the role played by Deputy Premier George Smitherman, who was the previous Health Minister responsible for eHealth and its predecessor agency.
Premier McGuinty was quick to reply that he won’t support a public inquiry. However, if this government is serious about transparency and accountability, it has no other choice.
There should also be a review of spending practices at other Ontario agencies, including a full accounting of the hiring of consultants, the work they performed and how much they were paid. An inquiry is the only way the people of Ontario can get the truth.
Ontario Re-training Programs Over-Subscribed
The McGuinty government announced last week that it is adding $78 million to try to keep up with the demand for its Second Career Program. This follows pressure from opposition questions in the Legislature. To date, the program has helped 21,000 people retrain for new careers. Oshawa was among the top 10 Ontario communities to participate in the program, with an enrollment of 413. In Question Period, Opposition MPPs alerted the government to the backlog in the application process. What last week’s announcement didn’t mention was the government’s position on other programs, such as those that help unemployed Ontarians start up their own business. In view of the eHealth scandal, the McGuinty government needs to do a review of its Second Career program to ensure the funds being invested are yielding the most value for unemployed Ontarians. Perhaps, what is sometimes overlooked in the discussion of Ontario’s re-training programs, is that these programs are required because of the adverse impact on the economy from this government’s tax-and-spend philosophy.
Women’s Leadership Awards Nominations
With October being Women’s History Month, the Province of Ontario has announced the opening of nominations for the Leading Women Building Communities and Leading Girls Building Communities Awards. Ontario’s MPPs are invited to nominate worthy candidates who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their communities. I welcome your suggestions for nominations. To meet the deadline of early 2010, I need to hear from you by December 16. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 905-697-1501 or 1-800-661-2433 or by e-mail at john.otooleco@pc.ola.org.
Nov. 16 Deadline for Agricultural Awards
The deadline for nominations in the Ontario awards for excellence and innovation in agriculture is November 16, 2009. All awards recognize innovations that add value to existing products, create jobs, and drive economic growth. The guidebook and application are available at www.ontario.ca/agrifoodinnovation. You may nominate your own farm, organization or company. Third-party nominations are also welcome.
Up to 55 regional innovators are recognized annually with individual awards worth $5,000 each. There are also two provincial awards. One is valued at up to $50,000 and the value of the other award is up to $100,000.
If you plan to apply to this program, I would encourage you to keep me informed. As always, if you have questions about the nominations, please do not hesitate to contact my Constituency Office at 905-697-1501 or 1-800-661-2433 or by e-mail at john.otooleco@pc.ola.org.
Web Site Gives Online Help with Math Homework
Free math tutoring for grades 7 to 10 is available online for Durham Riding students at the web site homeworkhelp.ilc.org. On this site, students will receive real-time math tutoring by certified Ontario teachers. Audio, video, and other math resources are also located on homeworkhelp.iklc.org. Assistance is available Sunday to Thursday, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Since the program was first launched in 2007, it has expanded to 15 boards and can potentially reach 150,000 students.
Province Announces Apprenticeship Grants
Grants were announced last week for up to $2,000 for apprentices and $1,000 to employers when apprenticeship training is successfully completed. In addition, apprentices will be given flexibility to complete more of their classroom training up-front if work placements are unavailable. Grants were also announced to help apprentices with the costs of school if they are not eligible for employment insurance. Information about Ontario apprenticeships is available online at the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities web site, www.edu.gov.on.ca .
