REGINA — The Saskatchewan NDP are putting a call out to the provincial auditor to review recent changes within the Saskatchewan Health Authority operational tree, after the appointment of a Sask. Party operative.
Health Critic Vicki Mowat held a public appearance to critique the recently shared appointment of Raynelle Wilson to the newly-created role of Vice-President of Enterprise Initiatives Support.
This six-month-long role reports directly to interim CEO Andrew Will, and is described by the SHA as “provide executive leadership aimed at strengthening collaboration between the SHA, Ministry of Health and other key partners in support of achieving and reporting on priority enterprise initiatives.”
Wilson is a former Sask Party candidate and a staffer of over a decade working under Sask. Party to ministers, including the minister of Crown Investments, the deputy minister of housing, the deputy minister of the treasury board and, most recently, the deputy minister of health.
Mowat noted that Wilson has no formal work experience within the health sector or as a health administrator, and questioned the appointment of a “partisan operative” to the upper management tier within the health region.
“It’s the definition of cronyism,” said Mowat.
She also noted that the SHA board of directors is still declining to share details regarding Scott Livingstone’s abrupt departure from his position as CEO in early December. Livingstone has also remained private about his stepping-down.
“The explanations for Scott Livingstone’s departure have not passed the sniff-test since day one. Now it seems that forcing in partisan operatives to SHA leadership drove Mr. Livingstone out,” said Mowat.
Opposition is pressing the provincial auditor to conduct a special investigation to review the process behind Wilson’s appointment, under Section 13 of the Provincial Auditor Act.
“The public needs answers — why in the middle of a health crisis did the Sask. Party focus on placing a long-time political operative with zero health experience into the top brass of the SHA?” said deputy leader Nicole Saurauer.
The Sask. NDP are also calling for the immediate reversal of Wilson’s appointment, and for the new position to be eliminated pending investigation.
