Premier Houston’s decision to dissolve the entire Nova Scotia Health Authority board and install a CEO with no healthcare experience has been shrouded in questions for months.

Today the Liberal caucus requested four key players to come before Public Accounts who could speak to this decision and report on the team’s work since – Deputy Minister of Health Jeannine Lagasse, the Premier’s chief of staff Nicole LaFosse Parker, head of the Premier’s transition team Scott McCrea, and current CEO of the health authority Karen Oldfield. The PCs used their majority to immediately vote down the request.

“Healthcare is almost half of the provincial budget and for good reason. If the Premier is confident in the team he’s tapped to lead the NSHA, then Nova Scotians should be hearing from them,” says PAC committee member Patricia Arab.

Premier Houston initially touted his decision to install former PC chief of staff Karen Oldfield as CEO, but her role in the government’s pandemic response is ambiguous, if not elusive.

“First, the NSHA is not part of COVID briefings. Now, they’re not allowed to come before Public Accounts. Why is this decision cloaked in secrecy?” says Arab.