Sask. health board needs to stand up for medicare, even if government disagrees: official

The Saskatchewan Health Authority's board needs to stand up for medicare, even if that means angering the provincial government, says a top health official.

"The current board right now is simply acting as a puppet of the government and that's wrong. Terribly wrong," said Tony Dagnone, who served for 15 years as CEO of Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital and is an Order of Canada recipient.

CBC News asked to speak with SHA board chair Arlene Wiks. An SHA official emailed to say they "are not able to arrange an interview." CBC News then asked for the reason, but has not received a reply.

Dagnone said the Saskatchewan government is following Alberta on a range of issues, making decisions based on politics or feuds with Ottawa. This includes "anti-science" positions on COVID-19 or ideological moves toward private health care, he said.

"Premiers and ministers of health should spend a lot more time and a lot more energy on constructive ways to support health care as opposed to having a bun fight with the prime minister over silly other things," Dagnone said.

"It's crucially important, life and death type of significance. It was Saskatchewan that gave Canada medicare. Make it stronger, not weaker."

Dagnone and the rest of the Alberta Health Services board was fired last month by Premier Danielle Smith. Dagnone, who said he has never been a member of a political party, penned an open letter to Smith. He called her decisions "wacko" and said people will die if she continues to ignore experts and professionals.

He noted that things have deteriorated rapidly since then, with surgical delays and disruptions at children's hospitals and other facilities. He said Saskatchewan needs to take a different approach to avoid a similar fate. The SHA board needs to lead that charge, he said.

Dagnone, who has been recruited to oversee hospitals, health regions and provincial health care systems in Saskatchewan, Ontario and Alberta, said evidence-based, ethical leadership that communicates frequently and openly is vital to the health of any organization.

He said the Saskatchewan and Alberta governments are making politically-charged announcements on firearms regulation, a new police force, a new tax collection system, natural resources and other issues. Most have no basis in evidence, history or even cost-effectiveness, he said.

Critics say the police force will cost more, and that crime is going down, not up. They note the natural resource claims ignore historic and legal precedent affirming First Nations rights. They also say a new tax collection system will cost more and be more difficult to file or administer.

Dagnone said it all appears to be based on a political, ideological calculation based on bashing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government.

When it comes to the vital issue of health care, the SHA board needs to serve as a check on all of this, he said.

"It does not appear to me that the Saskatchewan Health Authority Board is fulfilling its obligations to Saskatchewan citizens. It seems to be missing in action while healthcare becomes more and more fragile. I just can't help but conclude that," he said.