The province’s privacy commissioner is calling for changes to The Privacy Act and apologies to a former health aid worker who became the centre of political debate during the spring sitting of the legislature.
The worker raised concerns about conditions at Oliver Lodge in Saskatoon. It was later revealed by the Premier that Peter Bowden, the fired health-care worker, was the subject of a workplace investigation.
That comment and where the premier got it became the focus of a Freedom of Information complaint.
The results of the investigation were released this morning.
Privacy commissioner Ron Kruziniski found that Oliver Lodge, The Saskatoon Health Region, and the Ministry of Health did not have the authority to release the information.
He is calling for apologies to be issued. As for the premier and his staff, Kruziniski said he could make no ruling because the act does not apply to MLAs or their staffs.
“Is this a concern? Yes, and the question is where should we go in the future?” he said. “Well I believe this gap needs to be filled in some way.”
Premier Brad Wall said he accepts the findings and recommendations and is prepared to implement them. He said he is not prepared to rush into changes in privacy laws but said MLAs and their staff will conduct themselves as though The Privacy Act applies to them.
Wall went even further, saying he will offer an apology to Peter Bowden.
“He (Ron Kruziniski) has not asked the premier or the minister’s office to extend an apology to Mr. Bowden. I am going to do that regardless because accountability rests with government in those offices,” Wall said.
“And the recommendations on the legislation, we are going to pursue very quickly.”
The NDP opposition said the report is a damning indictment of how the premier handled the matter. Deputy leader Trent Wotherspoon said even though the premier is issuing an apology, it does not go far enough.
“This premier basically went off to cover his political arse and put his own personal interests ahead of the public’s interest on this front, and we find this wrong,” Wotherspoon said.
The health-care worker, Bowden, has since been fired for violating several workplace standards.
Throughout the dispute the premier has maintained and insisted that Bowden’s workplace problems were not in any way associated with him speaking out about conditions at the seniors care home.