B.C. First Nations Health Authority

[oneh2obabe]

B.C. First Nations Health Authority says allegations of financial misdoing inaccurate
Joanna Smith
Ottawa Bureau

OTTAWA—A non-profit organization that will take over responsibility for delivering aboriginal health services in British Columbia from Health Canada says allegations of financial mismanagement are based on outdated and incomplete documents leaked by a disgruntled employee.

“It is natural for human beings to respond fearfully in the face of transformative change,” Davis McKenzie, a spokesman for the First Nations Health Authority based in West Vancouver, wrote in an emailed statement Tuesday.

The First Nations Health Authority is slated to replace Health Canada as the agency responsible for delivering health care to the aboriginal population in B.C., the result of an agreement between First Nations and the federal and provincial governments signed in October 2011.

Transferring federal health programs to the First Nations Health Authority by Oct. 1 would also involve about $2.5 billion in federal health transfers over five years.

The National Post published a story Tuesday citing leaked internal Health Canada documents that suggested the First Nations Health Authority had directed millions of dollars to programs without explaining what activities they would cover. It also cited a three-page internal document suggesting the First Nations Health Authority had $33 million in “surplus” government funds that was intended to run programs in its launch phase and could not account for another $4 million.

Health Canada spokesman Alastair Sinclair said the three-page memo was “an internal working document” meant to support a broader evaluation and does not accurately reflect what the department eventually found or its views of the organization and how it manages money.

“They are a sort of snapshot in time. They are out of date and incomplete,” Sinclair said in a telephone interview.

Sinclair did provide the Star with other documents he said Health Canada gave to the Post. Included in them is what he said is an updated recent version of a spreadsheet leaked to that newspaper that he said formed the basis of allegations that the First Nations Health Authority gave millions to programs without a clear reason why.

Sinclair also said several of the discrepancies stem from the fact that the First Nations Health Authority grew out of earlier organizations that organized their books differently.

Both Sinclair and McKenzie pointed to audited financial statements for the fiscal years 2010-11 and 2011-12 posted to the First Nations Health Authority website.

McKenzie suggested the leaked documents came from those upset by the shifting of power from Health Canada to the First Nations Health Authority.

Health Canada’s B.C. regional office is expected to cut about 220 positions due to the transfer, but affected employees will be offered similar jobs with the First Nations Health Authority, which has 90 employees.

“After many years of hard work, we can finally see the finish line for final federal approval. It seems that at least one Health Canada employee working in the Pacific region didn’t want the FNHA to cross this finish line,” McKenzie wrote in his email.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/poli ... inaccurate

[twobits]

Hmmm, never heard of this before. Can anyone explain to me the need, the benefit, the efficiency of a separate Health Authority for FN's? Is this not a blatent duplication of services or do FN people have illnesses that the rest of the general population do not get? Or were FN's denied access to the British Columbia Health Authority? I just don't get this.

[cutter7]

Hmmm, never heard of this before. Can anyone explain to me the need, the benefit, the efficiency of a separate Health Authority for FN's? Is this not a blatent duplication of services or do FN people have illnesses that the rest of the general population do not get? Or were FN's denied access to the British Columbia Health Authority? I just don't get this.

If an indian has health insurance he/she uses that like other people , If they are not insured they have coverage thru indian affairs.

[grammafreddy]

http://www.fnhc.ca/

2013-08
January 22, 2013


Your article, “As B.C. readies $2.5B transfer to First Nations Health Authority, questions arise about unclear programs, missing $4M,” is unfortunately a textbook example of not letting the facts get in the way of a good story.


The article does not portray the true picture of the British Columbia First Nations Health Tripartite Agreement and leaves out key facts that were provided to the reporter before the story was published. It is surprising that the reporter chose to put his full faith in an unnamed “source” rather than three on-the-record interviews with Health Canada, the concrete information found in financial statements, working plans and annual reports from the First Nation Health Authority as well as a comprehensive and independent audit from Deloitte and Touche.


The article was based solely on an incomplete, internal Health Canada working document that provides an out-dated and thus inaccurate analysis. The working document showed areas that were not yet completed; all of these areas have since been completed to the satisfaction of Health Canada’s financial administrators. There has never been an issue of misappropriation of funds or unaccounted expenditures. Independent auditors reported no concerns with the quality of documentation or accounting procedures and systems for either organization.


Contrary to information contained in your report, financial records that were shared with you clearly demonstrate there are no financial irregularities. These audited financial statements are available online, which further reinforces the commitment to financial accountability our organizations share. This tripartite agreement with the First Nation Health Authority and the government of British Columbia is an excellent example of how the Government of Canada is working with First Nations to help get results that improve the health of First Nation communities.


All partners have committed a tremendous amount of time, energy, resources and effort to achieve the progress made to date and we continue to make significant progress implementing our new governance relationship. Health Canada, the First Nations Health Authority and the province of British Columbia will continue to ensure proper financial oversight continues on this initiative. It is disheartening and most unfortunate that your story attempts to discredit these efforts.


Sincerely,


Michel Roy
Assistant Deputy Minister
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch,
Health Canada


Lydia Hwitsum
Chair
First Nations Health Authority

[ticat900]

c,mon what are we crying about?? there,s only 4 million gone missing? no big deal
and hey that only leaves 2.5 billion to look after 60ooo people .
too funny what a f--king mockery our elected government has become and how we allow thieves at our doors disguised as diasadvantaged indians to screwover every day tax paying citizens

On a side note who actually really beleives this load of CRAP?
QUOTE:
All partners have committed a tremendous amount of time, energy, resources and effort to achieve the progress made to date and we continue to make significant progress implementing our new governance relationship. Health Canada, the First Nations Health Authority and the province of British Columbia will continue to ensure proper financial oversight continues on this initiative. (It is disheartening and most unfortunate that your story attempts to actually bring out the truth)

[twobits]

If an indian has health insurance he/she uses that like other people , If they are not insured they have coverage thru indian affairs.

Still don't get it. Why would any Indian not be covered by MSP like everyone else? Even the poorest of poor are covered via subsidy. Why a separate duplication of service for one specific class/race of people? Stuff like this only reinforces that they are something different than the rest of Canadians and that is a double edged sword.