Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach talks to reporters in the media room at the Alberta Legislature in this file photo from Jan. 13, 2010John Ulan
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has bowed to the demands of the opposition and struck up an inquiry into health-care wait times in the province.
The health-care file has exploded over the past six months into a political firestorm, which culminated last week in unproven allegations that the government covered up the deaths of 250 cancer patients.
Mr. Stelmach tried to wait out the storm, rejecting calls for an inquiry. But recent allegations have shaken public trust and now require a review, which will be conducted by the Health Quality Council of Alberta, he said.
"I think an impartial third-party review from the Health Quality Council will help to assure Albertans," Mr. Stelmach said Thursday.
However, questions remain. The independent inquiry will look into all health issues related to wait times, including two major allegations - claims of 250 deaths, made Feb. 28 by independent MLA Raj Sherman, and errors in the care of 322 non-fatal cases tied to emergency-room overcrowding, raised by another physician.
What the review won't directly touch is allegations of "millions" paid to keep the alleged 250 deaths quiet. Those allegations were also made by Dr. Sherman, an emergency room doctor before entering politics. He was booted from his caucus last year for criticizing his own government's health policies.
He's provided no proof, insisting it would involve disclosing confidential patient information, but his credibility is under fire.
"I'm not going to have them [the HQCA]chase allegations, baseless allegations," Mr. Stelmach said.
Opposition members still hope for a full judicial inquiry, open to the public.
"Ed Stelmach, he was like the boxer in the corner, getting pounded and pounded and finally he had to concede," Opposition Liberal MLA Kevin Taft said. "The clear, responsible thing to do would be to call a full, no-holds-barred public inquiry."
Dr. John Cowell, HQCA chief executive officer, said his agency's investigation is a full public inquiry and under no influence from the government. He expects Dr. Sherman to be among those his council will speak to, adding that the MLA will be able to name his sources privately and provide evidence he hasn't to the legislature.
Dr. Sherman said the announcement was just "a very simplistic way of getting you, the media, off the minister's back to try to reassure public confidence. That's all this is."
Many remain skeptical of his claims, however, noting that it's not unusual for lung cancer patients to die while waiting for or receiving care.
"I don't believe there actually is going to be any evidence" supporting the allegations, said Donna Wilson, a health researcher and University of Alberta professor of nursing. "I think we've got a lot of smoke and mirrors going on here."