** Ontario paramedic union says practitioner being targeted for speaking out on lack of Ebola preparedness
** Quebec politician seeking inquiry on emergency communications network overruns, delays
CANADA NEWS
** An Ontario paramedic union is mounting a public relations war after one of its members who complained
about lack of Ebola preparedness was targeted for a conduct violation investigation. That is the word from
the Canada Newswire (November 4) which said the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is
hopping mad that Peel Region paramedic Michael Speers has been accused of gossiping in the workplace.
According to the press release, Speers’ employer, Peel Regional Paramedic Services, informed him on
October 27th that he was being scrutinized. The notification came after media reports said EMS brass
in several Ontario services were scrambling to bring medics up to snuff on Ebola. OPSEU President William
Thomas said the investigation is an intimidation tactic. Thomas said the look-see is intended to silence
Speers and others who express concern how prehospital managers are dealing with the Ebola threat.
** A National Assembly politician in Quebec is calling for an inquiry into why a proposed public safety
communications network is six years overdue and millions of dollars more expensive than first stated.
CJAD (Richard Deschamps/November 5) quoted CAQ Leader Francois Legault as decrying a Wednesday
report projecting the cost of the wireless undertaking to now reach over $1 billion despite it originally being
tagged at $144 million. The network, which was to have been in place in 2008, will link police, fire, and
ambulance personnel, as well as hospitals and civil security services.Â
