Bonus refused by only 1 of 99 executives at AHS

Health authority paid $3 million in bonuses last year

Image | Dr. John Cowell

Caption: AHS senior administrator Dr. John Cowell appeared at the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday. (CBC)

Only one of 99 executives at Alberta Health Services turned down their performance pay last year, meaning a total of $3 million was paid out in bonuses.
The amount was revealed at a meeting of the public accounts committee on Wednesday.
“Obviously that one particular individual must have felt strongly enough to say 'I don't want to participate ,' ” said Dr. John Cowell, the new senior administrator of AHS.
“I guess I admire that.”
Earlier this year, Health Minister Fred Horne fired the entire AHS board because they refused to cancel the bonuses.
At the time, Horne said that some executives wanted to refuse their bonuses but the board was getting in the way.
Board representatives said they felt that legal obligations compelled the health authority to pay the bonuses.