Munro announces Tories will call for inquiry on eHealth

York — Simcoe MPP Julia Munro has announced the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus’ intention to introduce the eHealth Ontario Spending Accountability Act, 2009, in the legislature this week.

The bill will be introduced by Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh and it will call for the Lieutenant Governor in Council to order a public inquiry to answer questions about the eHealth Scandal.

But Oak Ridges — Markham MPP Dr. Helena Jaczek is staying with the government’s position that such an inquiry is not needed.

Ontario’s Auditor General has testified before a legislative committee that he was unable to probe many of the most important questions in the eHealth scandal, including the names and Liberal affiliations of key eHealth scandal figures.

The Liberal majority has voted to block those who know the most about the deals involving taxpayer money, the Tories charged, adding former health minister George Smitherman has resigned to avoid answering any more questions about his role in the scandal, and that Premier Dalton McGuinty has shied away from talking about the eHealth scandal.

“They’ve been talking about that during Question Period,” Jaczek observed Monday.

“This bill is for the people of Ontario,” Munro declared. “The PC caucus recognizes that the money is not McGuinty’s, it is the money of our constituents who deserve to have it spent wisely and effectively. It was Ontarians’ hard earned money that was wasted and they deserve to have a complete examination into how it was spent and a comprehensive set of recommendations to ensure such irresponsible waste is prevented in the future.”

“It does not matter what office George Smitherman holds, what office he used to hold or what office he hopes to hold,” she added. “George Smitherman and Dalton McGuinty remain the architects of a billion dollar scandal and the people of Ontario deserve a public inquiry to hear the truth about how their money was spent.”

The Auditor General’s report suggested that there may have been deliberate collusion and bid-rigging at eHealth, the Tories maintain. They added this is potentially criminal behaviour and a public inquiry can examine the details of the bidding process.

It also highlighted how the Management Board of Cabinet played a role in waiving the rules for untendered contracts, the PCs stated. A public inquiry can fully investigate how extensively members of the Management Board were involved in the eHealth Scandal.

The Auditor General reported instances of overt obstruction by officials in the McGuinty government. The conservatives at Queen’s Park believe this represents potential abuse of power that should be part of an independent inquiry into the eHealth scandal.

Jaczek cited comments from the Premier that the Auditor General’s report included recommendations that the government is ready to accept.

“We’ve really had an exhaustive look at eHealth, and there’s no need for a public inquiry,” she remarked, adding McGuinty said as much in Question Period.

“I would assume that will be the position going forward,” she added.