Harold Roderick MacIsaac: Linda Kayfish, sister of fired drug researcher demands apology
CBC News | Posted: September 30, 2014 11:14 PM | Last Updated: September 30, 2014
MacIsaac was one of seven researchers let go after alleged data breach
The family of Harold Roderick MacIsaac, a drug researcher fired by the province and who later committed suicide, is demanding an apology from the B.C. government.
MacIsaac, known as Roderick by his family, was one of seven researchers let go after a major investigation into alleged breaches of personal health information. An investigation has since found no evidence of wrongdoing.
MacIssac was a drug researcher working as a co-op student at the University of Victoria in 2012, when he was abruptly fired and was unable to complete his doctorate.
His body was found at home on January 8, 2013, and he was found to have committed suicide. He was 46 years old.
"He was a kind, giving man," MacIsaac's sister Linda Kayfish said Tuesday. "He was a concise, straightforward, straight-answer guy."
After two years in which no wrongdoing by MacIsaac has been uncovered and other members of the team have been exonerated, Kayfish is calling on the provincial government to issue a formal apology for her brother's dismissal.
"I figured that when somebody makes a mistake and ruins people's lives like this, they had to know there would be repercussions," she said. "And when you do that, you have to recognize an error: stand up, and recognize that error. Apologize."
As far as B.C. NDP leader John Horgan is concerned, the government has abused its power in this case.
"For this information to be strategically leaked to a major media outlet, and then blown up to be a horrific breach of privacy, when not one shred of data left the Ministry of Health... I don't know what the explanation is, but I'm certainly going to find out," he said.
The government has refused to comment on the matter.
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