Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, honourable Members have expressed concern about the criteria for disqualifying a physician from sitting as president of a particular board of inquiry under the Medical Profession Act of the Northwest Territories. The filing of a civil action is quite different from criminal charges or an inquiry into professional competence under the Medical Profession Act. Nowhere in Canada, including the N.W.T., does the filing of a civil suit disqualify a physician from sitting on a board of inquiry. Nonetheless, because of the questions raised in the Legislature about him, the head of the board of inquiry, Dr. Earle Covert, has now decided that he does not want unnecessary controversy to detract from the impartiality and independence of the medical inquiry now before the board. Dr. Covert has therefore made a decision not to sit on the hearing in question involving Dr. Uma Viswalingam. His declining to participate in the hearing will not deprive the current board of its quorum. The inquiry will now be headed by the Deputy President, Dr. Robert Fairbairn. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Dennis Patterson on Minister's Statement 7-12(3): Criteria For Physician Membership On Boards Of Inquiry
In the Legislative Assembly on November 24th, 1992. See this statement in context.
Minister's Statement 7-12(3): Criteria For Physician Membership On Boards Of Inquiry
Item 2: Ministers' Statements
November 23rd, 1992
Page 81
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
See context to find out what was said next.