Dropping hospital commissionaires hits veterans, says MLA Jamie Fox

Conservative MLA Jamie Fox says a new contract Health PEI has awarded to a Vancouver security firm to oversee security at two P.E.I. hospitals isn't worth it even if it saves the government money.

"I question what we're going to save on this over the life of the contract," said Fox.

Paladin Security received the new contract and 40 commissionaires working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Prince County Hospital received layoff notices Monday.

They are among 178 commissionaires on P.E.I. who provide security at a number of locations. The not-for-profit group was created in 1949 to provide meaningful employment for retired Canadian Armed Forces, ex-RCMP and security personnel. About 60 per cent are veterans.

"There could have been probably other ways maybe looked at to reduce costs or to you know, save taxpayers money, but again you know, here we're hitting front-line services and we're hitting veterans. We're affecting veterans that had these jobs," said Fox.

Paladin Security takes over on Nov. 1.

A representative says commissionaires will be able to apply for jobs with its company.

'A moral obligation'

Provincial NDP LeaderMike Redmond says while it might be too late to do anything about it, the province does have a responsibility for the commissionaires.

"We know that 60 per cent of them are veterans, people that have represented this country and fought for this country and fought for our freedoms. We have a moral obligation to ensure that we have jobs for these folks when they come home," he said.

ButHealth PEI said it would save a considerable amount of money over four years with the new contract.

"Both made strong arguments for experience and [the] staff they would bring. But with both providing high quality, it came down to what cost were we able to obtain it for," said Denise Lewis Fleming, executive director of financial services and pharmacare.

Allan MacKinnon, who oversees the commissionaires on P.E.I., said they would be meeting with Health PEI later this month to get feedback on their bid for the contract.