The former Public Health Agency (PHA) president who abruptly reassigned following the outbreak of the pandemic, has been formally reprimanded for late ethics filings, says Blacklock’s Reporter..Kristina Namiesniowski was transferred to another $273,700-a year post as associate deputy minister in the Department of Employment..The Ethics Commissioner, in a public notice, said Namiesniowski failed to submit filings required under the Conflict Of Interest Act..“An e-mail dated April 13, 2021 was sent to you asking that you return all necessary documents to complete your annual return to the office within 30 days,” wrote Mario Dion..Namiesniowski ignored the order for two months and Dion ordered her to comply under threat of a fine, typically $250..Namiesniowski was PHA president at the outbreak of the pandemic March 11, 2020 and days later in March 31 testimony at the Commons health committee she assured MPs: “Our health system is adjusting on an ongoing basis.”.She resigned last September 18, writing in a staff e-mail “I need a break” only days ahead of an internal audit that cited Namiesniowski and other managers for “confusion” and “limited public health expertise.”.The PHA lacked “the needed breadth and expertise to lead complex files,” said the audit..The Auditor General, in a subsequent March 25 report, said the PHA was “not adequately prepared” for COVID-19 though Parliament fully funded it at $675 million a year..Auditors said the PHA “underestimated the potential impact of the virus,” had “shortcomings” and “long-standing issues” in management, and repeatedly rated the health risk of the coronavirus as low until the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic..The Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, Canadian Nurses Association and Canadian Public Health Association all publicly criticized the Agency..“We were caught flat-footed,” Dr. Sandy Buchman, then-president of the CMA, testified April 8, 2020 at the Commons health committee..“I don’t think we were adequately prepared.”.One Liberal MP, Dr. Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Ont.), in an internal e-mail to the Department of Health described the federal response as slow and inadequate..“Sorry, pandemics don’t take the weekend off,” wrote Powlowski..“I don’t mean to offend the members of the Canadian government bureaucracy but no one is an expert in what we are dealing with. We need to make sure we are getting the best advice.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
The former Public Health Agency (PHA) president who abruptly reassigned following the outbreak of the pandemic, has been formally reprimanded for late ethics filings, says Blacklock’s Reporter..Kristina Namiesniowski was transferred to another $273,700-a year post as associate deputy minister in the Department of Employment..The Ethics Commissioner, in a public notice, said Namiesniowski failed to submit filings required under the Conflict Of Interest Act..“An e-mail dated April 13, 2021 was sent to you asking that you return all necessary documents to complete your annual return to the office within 30 days,” wrote Mario Dion..Namiesniowski ignored the order for two months and Dion ordered her to comply under threat of a fine, typically $250..Namiesniowski was PHA president at the outbreak of the pandemic March 11, 2020 and days later in March 31 testimony at the Commons health committee she assured MPs: “Our health system is adjusting on an ongoing basis.”.She resigned last September 18, writing in a staff e-mail “I need a break” only days ahead of an internal audit that cited Namiesniowski and other managers for “confusion” and “limited public health expertise.”.The PHA lacked “the needed breadth and expertise to lead complex files,” said the audit..The Auditor General, in a subsequent March 25 report, said the PHA was “not adequately prepared” for COVID-19 though Parliament fully funded it at $675 million a year..Auditors said the PHA “underestimated the potential impact of the virus,” had “shortcomings” and “long-standing issues” in management, and repeatedly rated the health risk of the coronavirus as low until the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic..The Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, Canadian Nurses Association and Canadian Public Health Association all publicly criticized the Agency..“We were caught flat-footed,” Dr. Sandy Buchman, then-president of the CMA, testified April 8, 2020 at the Commons health committee..“I don’t think we were adequately prepared.”.One Liberal MP, Dr. Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Ont.), in an internal e-mail to the Department of Health described the federal response as slow and inadequate..“Sorry, pandemics don’t take the weekend off,” wrote Powlowski..“I don’t mean to offend the members of the Canadian government bureaucracy but no one is an expert in what we are dealing with. We need to make sure we are getting the best advice.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
