VICTORIA — British Columbia's ongoing health firings scandal is about to share the stage with the Liberal government's vaunted liquefied natural gas project law.
Attorney General Suzanne Anton says she will introduce a legislative change next week that gives ombudsperson Jay Chalke more powers to access data and interview witnesses as he investigates the firings of eight health researchers.
B.C.'s legislature has been recalled to ratify legislation involving a proposed LNG plant near Prince Rupert, but continuing controversy surrounding the September 2012 dismissal of the health workers has prompted Anton to take action.
The government requested earlier this month that Chalke review the flawed firings, but he told an all-party committee he needs more powers to do an investigation.
The NDP have been calling for an independent public inquiry instead, but the government has refused, saying that would an expensive and lengthy process.
One of the fired health researchers, Roderick MacIsaac, committed suicide following his dismissal.
