For Immediate Release: July 8, 2011
Former eHealth Players Should Be Disqualified From New eHealth Bidding
NEWS:
QUEEN’S PARK – Today, Thornhill MPP and Ontario PC Critic for Economic Development and Trade, Peter Shurman, said that Dalton McGuinty must show respect for Ontario families and disqualify former players in the eHealth scandal, Courtyard Group, from bidding on new eHealth projects.
Families will recall that Courtyard Group was run by Liberal friends and insiders, including Jon Ronson, Dalton McGuinty’s former election campaign chair, and Karli Farrow, Dalton McGuinty’s former Health Policy Advisor. Now, Michael Guerriere—a former Courtyard executive that was paid $3,000 a day as vice-president of eHealth—is part of the current bid as a member of Telus Health Group.
What’s worse, they’re bidding for the very same project where the McGuinty cabinet broke Management Board rules and families saw a billion dollars walk out the door in sole-sourced contracts.
Ontario families want change. That’s why the Ontario PCs, led by Tim Hudak, have developed a plan—changebook—to clean up government, demand accountability, and end the fraud, waste, and secret deals that have become Dalton McGuinty’s trademark.
QUOTES:
“Families are rightly shocked to see Liberal friends and insiders—who got rich off the eHealth feeding frenzy—back at the bidding table, especially for the exact same project that saw $1 billion in taxpayer dollars walk out the door in untendered contracts.”
– Peter Shurman, MPP Thornhill
“Ontario families are tired of the waste, fraud, and secret deals that have become the hallmark of the McGuinty Liberals. The Ontario PCs led by Tim Hudak have a plan—changebook—to clean up government, demand accountability, and respect the families that pay the bills.”
– Peter Shurman, MPP Thornhill
QUICK FACTS:
- Karli Farrow, Dalton McGuinty’s former Health Policy Advisor, was paid $10,646 for 32.5 hours of work. Her tasks included talking to Dalton McGuinty’s Campaign Director Don Guy about eHealth’s priorities. (Toronto Star, June 11, 2009).
- John Ronson, Co-Chair of the 1995 Liberal Election Campaign, is founder of the Courtyard Group and billed to advise eHealth on “governance” issues. (Toronto Star, June 11, 2009).
- Michael Guerriere is a former executive of Courtyard Group, which was awarded $10 million in contracts during the billion dollar eHealth boondoggle.
CONTACT: Alan Sakach | 416-848-8154 | alan.sakach@ontariopc.net