I am writing to you from my dialysis bed, which I have been occupying three times a week at Georges-Dumont Hospital since November 9, 2023, and for the rest of my life.
I am 78 years old and plan to live a productive life for many more years…because of the decision made.
Every day, 150 dialysis patients accompany me. As Dr. Desrosiers says, without traveling nurses, we would all be statistics in the obituary columns.
Thank you, Dr. Desrosiers! Your leadership and team definitely saved lives! Including mine. Thanks to your leadership and your concern for the health of French- and English-speaking New Brunswickers (CHU Dumont receives patients from Moncton City and elsewhere), you have given us an invaluable gift: to continue living.
I support the recommendation of Dorothy Shephard, Susan Holt and Megan Mitton to establish a public inquiry to shed light on all these perceptions. This inquiry would allow us to better understand the current situation. It would be able to find answers to questions such as:
What were the reasons that motivated the Higgs Cabinet to reject Vitalité’s recommendations aimed at improving the working conditions of New Brunswick nurses? Yet similar recommendations have been adopted by other Atlantic provinces.
Was the Cabinet decision made following a thorough study of needs or was it justified by the “it costs too much”, the financial philosophy of the Higgs government in recent years in view of bailing out the provincial debt?
In what context did the CEO of Vitalité receive the green light to proceed with signing contracts for the hiring of traveling nurses? Was it after the abolition of the boards of directors of the agencies and the appointment of trustees?
Who participated in the meeting where the green light was given to Dr. Desrosiers? Who can corroborate this verbal decision?
Has the Cabinet, including the Prime Minister, studied and understood, as objectively as possible, the 250-page report prepared by Dr. Desrosiers and her team? According to Dr. Desrosiers, this report explained the urgency of obtaining nursing care with supporting data. Did the Prime Minister treat this data with the same “Data my ass” attitude?
When the Auditor General studied the file (including Dr. Desrosiers’ 250-page document), did he do an objective analysis of the data and the emergency context? Does he have any suggestions to improve the situation?
What does independent investigation mean?
An investigation where the team is formed in a non-partisan manner and composed of specialized researchers, preferably academics.
An independent investigation would allow Dr. Desrosiers, the Prime Minister, the Auditor General, the Minister and Deputy Minister of Health, and the trustee of Vitalité to present the facts surrounding the situation.
With an overview, the investigation could clarify as objectively as possible who is telling the truth and advance lessons learned for the future.
All parties involved have nothing to fear from such an investigation which would allow a better understanding of the entire context of the situation.
Once again, thank you to Dr. Desrosiers and the entire team of nurses who continue to keep us alive!
Conrad LeBlanc
Saint Gregory
