We can’t lose 150 years of responsible government

Two years ago I wrote a column asking the question, “When is the time for a Cabinet Minister to resign?” –the answer is usually self-evident.


Going back 150 years – commencing with the reign of Robert Baldwin - it has been customary for Ministers to resign if their leadership was called into serious question, or if a major scandal occurred under their watch.  In fact under the responsible government system that he - and others - championed and initiated in Ontario, Robert Baldwin stepped aside a number of times rather than compromise his values or his character and ultimately his honour. And while Baldwin’s example goes back some 150 years, the concepts of accountability and responsibility must remain.


As a member of the Legislature for 12 years, I have become familiar with the bronze plaque at the Assembly entrance commemorating Robert Baldwin and his contribution to responsible government in Ontario. I can't help but wonder how Robert Baldwin would have reacted to the lack of government accountability and Cabinet Minister responsibility that has become a part of government of late.


Over the past few years, one could make the case that the McGuinty government has in many ways turned its back on ministerial responsibility.
Most recently, eyebrows were raised across the province with a cabinet shuffle that left Health Minister David Caplan - the main player in the e-health scandal this Spring - untouched. For that reason I am heartened to learn that the Auditor General has initiated a process to look into the e-health misspending.


With regard to the concept of an electronic health strategy, I’ve mentioned in the past that e-health is essential for our health system. Electronic health records – linked to an information management system – could both increase efficiency and access to health while improving the effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment. 


However, while other provinces plug ahead with e-health programs, and $839 million have been spent provincially to catch-up, Ontario is falling further behind. Unfortunately, years of mismanagement and overspending on e-health have left taxpayers with little to show for their dollars. There are a number of unanswered questions and this Spring’s open-ended scandal, to date, holds few accountable.


To summarize several weeks this past May, it was revealed that while under Health Minister David Caplan’s watch:

  • After a mere three months on the job at $380,000 a year, e-Health Ontario CEO Sarah Kramer gave herself a $114,000 bonus;
  • Over a four-month period, Ms. Kramer spent nearly $5 million in taxpayer-funded health care dollars on fees for outside consultants, without allowing public bids. The agency already employs over 160 people making more than $100,000 per year; and
  • It is reported Ms. Kramer paid one consultant $300 an hour to read newspapers, watch television, and engage in conversations on the subway.
All this occurred under the management of a Minister who left his previous position under a cloud, with the extravagances at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission.


I look forward to the findings of the Auditor’s Report and action to ensure the concepts of accountability and responsibility are not forgotten at the Ontario Legislature.


We could do well to hearken back to Robert Baldwin’s cause – the establishment of responsible government in Ontario and across Canada.