To the Minister of Health #2

From: C. Littleton
To: health.minister@gov.ns.ca
Cc: stephenmcneil@ns.aliantzinc.ca
Sent: Sunday, November 29, 2009 8:41 PM
Subject: gag order on civil servants


Honourable Maureen Mac Donald

re the firing of the Nurse Practitioner on Digby Neck and the Islands

I have been listening to the discussions of this case of the firing of an employee within your department and have today read the offending piece in the local newsletter - the Passages. I am horrified at the cutback of clerical support services by 20% !! Surely with a budget as large as that of Health with many wasteful practices documented and top heavy with administrators you should be embarrassed by the SWRHA effecting savings at the cost of a much needed service in a very unserviced area. What is the savings on a clerical salary cut by 20% ? a maximum of $4000. per year ?

Surely the acknowledgment of this cut and what it will mean to the functioning of that clinic made by the nurse in the local newsletter was a principled and ethical announcement - irrespective of the gag clause in her contract. She is one of a highly valued group in our society - the whistle blower !She deserves protection not firing - a letter of reprimand would have been appropriate perhaps - reminding her of her contract ...but firing !!! what an ill advised action on the part of the SWRHA.

You are the health minister in a very special government for Nova Scotia. We expect the NDP to be more humanitarian and more fair. Think of the history of the NDP and the pioneers of health care and rights of workers - they must be " turning over in their graves", Tommy Douglas especially !!

Your action on this matter will signal what kind of just government the NDP are going to offer us - is it going to foster increasing cynicism in the population that once in power you are all the same - it doesnt matter - why bother to vote ?

I am requesting that you discipline your health authority representatives ,not this brave and much needed and wanted employee.

Carol Littleton
Annapolis Royal
Nova Scotia
902-532-0696