Posted July 28, 2010
NDP Health critic Judy Junor continued to criticize the Wall government for defending the hiring of Hal Schmidt, vice-president of finance and corporate services for the Sun Country Health Region, despite new information that further calls into question his integrity and ability to properly fulfill his duties. The Moosomin World-Spectator recently reported that in addition to being fired by a health facility in Halifax for falsely claiming to be a Chartered Accountant, documents obtained from the Supreme Court of British Columbia indicate that Schmidt borrowed $75,000 from a Vancouver-area hospital during his tenure as its CEO - which went bankrupt under his leadership - and never repaid the loan.
According to the World-Spectator, Schmidt was subsequently sued by the Fraser Health Authority to recover the funds with a court judgment still outstanding ordering Schmidt to repay over $86,000 including interest and other costs.
Junor said as the evidence continues to mount against Schmidt's credibility, the Wall government remains blind to the issues of trust at stake for the patients and families of Sun Country who deserve proper oversight of their healthcare dollars. Junor urged the Wall government to demand the resignations of both Schmidt and Sun Country CEO Calvin Tant.
"The Wall government is standing by and supporting an individual who has not only misrepresented his professional qualifications but has a questionable past in managing healthcare funds," Junor charged. "With an order by the BC Supreme Court to repay tens of thousands of dollars of healthcare money going ignored, how can Wall continue to have faith in Mr. Schmidt's ability to oversee Sun Country's finances or Mr. Tant's responsibilities in ensuring that only qualified individuals are placed in charge of managing those funds?"
Junor questioned why Schmidt's now-confirmed misrepresentation of his qualifications and his unpaid loan - ordered repaid by British Columbia's highest court - hasn't yet shocked the Wall government into action.
"Given that Wall and his cabinet appointed the board and have known these disturbing facts for weeks and not acted decisively, the people of Sun Country are right to believe that it is appalling that Mr. Schmidt remains in his job," Junor said. "The government has a responsibility on behalf of Saskatchewan people to ensure that healthcare dollars are being spent wisely, efficiently, and overseen by individuals with exemplary qualifications and reputations. The Wall government has broken this trust yet again."