| · The provincial government is once again under attack for conflicts of interest within the Calgary Regional Health Authority (CRHA).
Liberal MLA Kevin Taft, Official Opposition Health Critic, is calling for CRHA chairman Jim Dinning’s resignation. Taft claims that Dinning is living by a double standard – although as an employee of TransAlta, Dinning is required to avoid real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest, Taft accuses him of tolerating conflicts of interest at the CRHA. Taft and others have repeatedly expressed concerns that various officials at the CRHA are also shareholders or directors of for-profit corporations under contract with the CRHA. Taft is also calling for a full and independent public inquiry into the business dealings of the CRHA.
Last week the Liberals also introduced legislation that would make all 17 Regional Health Authorities subject to strong, effective and uniformly applied conflict of interest rules. Currently, board members of RHAs are appointed by the government to make health care decisions affecting their region, unlike city council and school boards, which are elected by the public. The provincial government will finally follow through on its 1993 election to elect RHA members, but only two-thirds of members will be elected by the public in the municipal elections this fall, with one-third appointed by the government.
· A Calgarian is one of five Canadians to receive a United Way national volunteer award. Larry A. Macdonald, chairman and CEO of Pointwest Energy Inc., received the organization’s Chair’s Award of Distinction honour after volunteering with the United Way of Calgary and Area since 1987, including serving as chairman of the board of directors in 1999 and chairing the annual fund-raising campaign in 1994.
For more information about the United Way phone 231-6265.
Error
A Good Listener column in last week’s issue mistakenly referred to Stephen Lewis as Stephen Harper. Mr. Lewis was the speaker at a U of C lecture on Sudan. We apologize for the error. |
