BCGEU renews demand for public inquiry into health firings

The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union is renewing demands for a public inquiry into the provincial government's firing of seven health researchers and one UVic co-op student in 2012.

"We believe that the only way to get to the bottom of exactly what happened is to have an independent commission or an inquiry. It's the only appropriate venue for that," said Stephanie Smith, President of the BCGEU.

• Health minister Terry Lake rejects NDP's call for a public inquiry into 2012 firings
• TIMELINE - B.C. health researcher firing scandal

In September 2012, the provincial government fired the health researchers for allegedly improperly accessing government data.

Documents released earlier this month show the RCMP was never given evidence by the government to investigate the wrongdoing used to justify the firings, despite the government telling the public there was an ongoing investigation.

The government has since admitted it made a "regrettable mistake."

However the BCGEU, which represented three of the fired employees, says there are still many unanswered questions. 

"Who actually gave instructions for the firing? What were the factors that were considered?" asked Smith. 

"We have real concerns about the ways in which our members were treated, and not just the members that were terminated, but their coworkers and the shop stewards that represented them."

"When we were representing our members, we were operating with the information that was released to us. There was an implication of an RCMP investigation so we were completely caught off guard when it became clear that actually had not happened."

Earlier this month On the Coast spoke to B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake and he rejected the numerous calls for a public inquiry. He said the government has already conducted an investigation 

"I think the McNeil report that we've done shows there were mistakes made in terms of personnel issues and the way people were managed from an HR point of view. Recommendations will be followed to correct that and we have put in a different system in terms of making sure we are not putting people in a position where the best data stewardship practices are not followed."

But Smith isn't convinced the report was purely independent.

"In her report it was clear that she [Marcia McNeil] found the investigation was flawed from the outset," Smith said.

"We think an independent inquiry with someone who has the ability to compel testimony is really the only way British Columbians will find out exactly what happened. It seems that this leads to the highest level of government."

To hear the full interview, listen to the audio labelled BCGEU on health firings.