(Queen’s Park) – The Minster of Health refused to answer questions about how $647 million of taxes dollars was spend on the Smart Systems for Health Agency (SSHA).
The Smart Systems for Health Agency was established in 2002 with a mandate to create an e-Health system for Ontario, to improve patient access and care and improve patient safety.
Although the McGuinty government spent $647 million on the SSHA, the agency produced very few successes and the SSHA was quietly disbanded in September 2008. The SSHA was quietly brought under the control of eHealth Ontario, a restructured organization responsible for all aspects of e-Health in the province.
Over the next 3 years, the McGuinty government will spend another $2 billion on e-Health initiatives. In 3 years it will be 2012, but Ontario will not have a province-wide e-Health system until 2015; unlike Quebec, Alberta and BC which according to Canada Health Infoway will have their e-Health system operating by 2010.
In response to questions last week from Witmer on April 2nd, about how the SSHA spent the $647 million, the Minister of Health asserted that a specific breakdown of the following lavish expenses were available in Public Accounts. However, there is no such breakdown in Public Accounts.
According to Freedom for Information (FOI) requests obtained by the Official Opposition, it was revealed that the SSHA spent more than:
· $45,000 on food expenses for consultants,
· $753,000 on travel expenses for consultants, and
· $231,000 on hotels for consultants.
The Official Opposition has now learned through additional FOIs that between October 2008 and January 2009 eHealth Ontario spent more than:
· $39,000 on food for employees and consultants,
· $108,000 on travel expenses of employees and consultants, and
· $48,000 just on catering.
Today during question period, the Minister of Health again refused to answer questions about this excessive spending of hard earned taxpayers’ dollars.
Progressive Conservative Health Critic, Elizabeth Witmer, is now demanding that the Auditor General conduct a value-for-money audit of the Smart Systems for Health Agency.
“An audit must be done to identify waste in the Smart Systems for Health Agency and ensure that eHealth Ontario operates with efficiency,” said Witmer. “During difficult economic times, taxpayers want to be assured that their tax dollars are being well spent.”
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For further information contact:
Elizabeth Witmer, MPP
(416) 325-1306