Several UCP leadership candidates who held cabinet positions say they did not know about the pandemic cash bonuses given to Alberta’s chief medical officer of health and 106 other managers.
A spokeswoman for leadership hopeful Travis Toews, Christine Myatt, said the former finance minister did not authorize or have knowledge of a cash bonus of nearly $228,000 paid to Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw in 2021.
Myatt referred further questions to the government.
His leadership partner and former Social and Community Services Minister Rajan Sawhney also said by email that he was not part of the decision and was “unaware of the specific circumstances involved”.
She, like many candidates, has pledged to hold a public inquiry into the Alberta government’s response to COVID-19. Sawhney said this would include the roles played by health officials.
Leadership hopeful Leela Aheer, who was ousted from cabinet in July 2021, said the Alberta government owes the public an explanation of how the $2.4 million additional pandemic payment awarded was calculated to 107 managers.
He is concerned that these officials are unfairly targeted for a decision beyond their control.
“We need to make sure people understand what we’re doing and why,” Aheer said. “The reason the public is outraged right now is that they don’t understand.”
Government spokesmen have not responded to questions about who approved the extra pay.
The government has said the bonus payment was determined using a formula the public service commission uses to compensate managers for excessive overtime during public emergencies.
CBC News reached out to Rebecca Schulz for a response, but had not heard back at the time of publication.
Leadership hopefuls who weren’t in cabinet scoffed at the idea that former ministers were unaware of the spending.
“Cabinet has made two years of bad decisions,” said Brian Jean, MP and leadership candidate. “And this is one of the latest insults. The Cabinet must explain how this happened. All the money comes from the same place.”
Independent MP Todd Loewen, who is also seeking the leadership of the party, has also pledged to conduct an inquiry into the handling of the pandemic if party members elected him as leader. He said in a video posted on Facebook on Tuesday that managers getting extra pay doesn’t make him feel better about the government’s choices.
Danielle Smith called the bonuses “tone deaf.”
“It is now clear that we were not all in this together as many were making a lot of money from the crisis. Our frontline health workers, including our doctors and nurses, were pushed to the limit. It’s a slap in the face . every single one of them,” he told CBC News via text.
Party members must elect a new leader on October 6.
Unions say the bonuses are insulting to frontline workers
Meanwhile, union leaders representing Alberta health workers reacted with frustration and anger to the news of the manager’s bonus payment.
The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), which represents nearly 30,000 health care workers, has just signed a contract that gives about 20,000 Alberta Health Services workers a pay increase of percent in 2020-21. It is part of a total increase of 4.25% over four years.
HSAA president Mike Parker says it’s insulting that the Alberta government is paying managers generous pandemic bonuses while a new contract for health care workers doesn’t keep pace with inflation. (HSAA website)
To see Hinshaw get 63 percent more pay in the same year is “insulting,” HSAA President Mike Parker said Tuesday.
Parker contrasted the spending with the government coming to the bargaining table seeking a pay cut of up to 11% for some workers.
“The only reason the system kept working was because our people kept coming to work and staying longer. Doing more,” he said.
The ranks of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees include 55,000 health care workers, including laundry, cleaning and food service workers and maintenance staff.
Union Vice President Bonnie Gostola says those workers are in the midst of voting on a new contract that includes no new wages for 2020-21 and modest raises for the next two years.
He said it was a struggle to get “pennies” from the government in negotiations, even after all its efforts during the pandemic.
“I was very insulted by our members and by many others in health care,” Gostola said.