The opposition parties are not happy about the premier’s decision to appoint an interim health minister, rather than appoint one full time.
John Hogan, who is also the minister of justice and public safety, was appointed as interim health minister yesterday following the retirement of Tom Osborne.
PC health critic Barry Petten says while he welcomes Hogan to the portfolio, he questions the decision to have a “part time minister” in a “massive” department that takes up $4 billion of the annual budget.
Petten questions if Premier Furey is taking the portfolio seriously. He says he expected a cabinet shuffle to put someone in the position full time. “I think that health care deserved a bit more attention than someone doing it from the corner of their desk,” says Petten.
NDP MHA Lela Evans echoes much of Petten’s sentiments.
She says Furey had months to choose a replacement, and appointing Hogan as acting minister shows that the state of health care “is not a major priority.”
Evans wonders if Furey has the strength in his caucus to put forward a credible replacement.
She is calling for a minister to be appointed whose sole priority is health.