City’s embattled fire paramedic chief back in spotlight for latest memo

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This article was published 05/04/2018 (2907 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The actions of Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Chief John Lane are back in the spotlight, after he circulated a memo offering EMS paramedics and their families counselling services as a result of possible job losses.

The memo states a report Lane had written on the potential transfer of ambulance services oversight to the province was to be published on the City of Winnipeg website Wednesday, as part of the April 11 executive policy committee agenda. The agenda appeared online without the EMS report.

Media have reported Lane’s document states no firefighters will lose their job in the event of such as transfer – but there is no guarantee all 360 EMS employees would be retained by the province.

When speaking to reporters Thursday afternoon, Lane said he released the memo to keep department staff informed, but got the date of the EPC meeting wrong. He declined to talk about the specifics of the report.

“We have provided reassurances and as much information as we could throughout the process of developing this report,” Lane said. “The (April 4) memo is a reflection of that, and I really can’t speak further until the report becomes public.”

Lane’s report is in response to a December request from council, following a funding dispute between city hall and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority over the cost of ambulance services. The provincial government has frozen ambulance funding at 2016 levels, which city hall says isn’t adequate and will impose financial costs onto Winnipeg taxpayers for what is a provincial service.

The Winnipeg fire chief was instructed to detail how the city could return control of ambulance services to the province, and highlight all financial implications.

Lane dominated headlines in October and November, when he was the focus of a labour arbitration hearing centred on his response to a disrespectful workplace complaint filed by EMS paramedics.

The arbitrator ruled recently Lane had acted badly, making unwarranted attacks on the EMS paramedics and their union executive, and exacerbated the situation by refusing to make a quick apology. The arbitrator ordered city hall to pay the EMS paramedics and their union about $115,000 in damages and ordered Lane and the local union executive to participate in a one-day conciliation session (scheduled for Friday).

Manitoba Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen told the Free Press he wasn’t aware of the details of Lane’s report, but said if Winnipeg wanted to get out of the ambulance business, the transfer likely would be a two-year process.

“From what I understand from the (media reports) and, certainly, the discussion I’ve had with my department, even if a decision was made in terms of moving on from a contract, then it would take a couple of years to transition,” Goertzen said. “This isn’t a situation where somebody just decides one day we’re going to walk away.

“There are lots of different things to consider. It isn’t just about how the service is provided, it is still about how the service is paid for.”

Mayor Brian Bowman and finance chairman Coun. Scott Gillingham said they had seen draft versions of Lane’s report, but wouldn’t comment until the final version is released. Bowman said it expected sometime this month.

Lane did not say Thursday he was still working on the report, suggesting it has been finished and its released delayed.

The EPC meets April 11 and April 17. City council meets April 26.

Former EPC member Coun. Janice Lukes has said the administration would routinely present a draft version of a report to a closed-door meeting of the committee to get its feedback before releasing a final version.

Lane denied the report had been delayed a week to make changes requested by members of EPC.

“I simply got the date wrong. That’s all that happened,” the chief said.

For those worried about their job, Lane said the city still believes the model of having EMS paramedics supported by firefighter paramedics “is effective, efficient and safe, and provides exemplary service for the citizens of Winnipeg.”

The fire chief said he doesn’t make any recommendations in the report. “I was not asked for a judgement or anything like that. I simply presented the options.”

On Thursday, Bowman repeated concerns the province (through the WRHA) no longer wants to pay the full cost of providing EMS ambulance services in Winnipeg. The mayor said Winnipeg continues to provide ambulance services, but alternatives need to be considered that don’t involve imposing unnecessary financial costs on city taxpayers for what has always been a health-care service — a provincial responsibility.

“We don’t want to compromise patient safety. We’ve taken a very responsible approach, given the uncertainty to date… We need to be cautious on how we proceed. We’re doing our due diligence right now. What really needs to happen is we have to get that certainty from the provincial government.”

Bowman said his preference is to keep EMS ambulance services as part of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, adding the combined services of EMS paramedics and firefighter paramedics is working well for patients and taxpayers.

The mayor said there are three options going forward: the province funds the EMS ambulance service currently offered by the city; the province and city agree to a reduction in service delivery with adequate funding; or transfer ambulance service back to province.

“We do need to put patient safety first, so I don’t think we want to rush to any conclusions.”

— with files from Jane Gerster and Jessica Botelho-Urbanski

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

EMS delivery memo