eHealth Ontario Chairman's Head May Be Next On Chopping Block

June 9, 2009 2:42 p.m. EST

Toronto, Ontario (AHN) - As the bigger role that eHealth Ontario chairman Dr. Alan Hudson played in the agency's spending scandal becomes public, there are calls for the provincial government to mete Hudson the same fate as recently ousted president and chief executive officer Sarah Kramer.

However, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has indicated his continued support to Hudson and even Ontario Health Minister David Caplan, whose heads are being requested by political parties in the province.

The premier told the Canadian Press he still has confidence in Hudson and Caplan. McGuinty said that while he finds the financial anomaly in Ontario not acceptable, he stressed he will not kick out Caplan and Hudson. McGuinty even expressed publicly his pride in Hudson for cutting wait times in Ontario for certain medical procedures.

On Monday, more accounts of excessive reimbursements and payments came out inthe media. Globe and Mail reported the payment of $30,000 for 78 hours of consultancy work and the employment of Hudson's son with a company with close links to eHealth Ontario.