REGINA — Opposition MLAs are demanding an explanation as to why an EMS chief with the Saskatchewan Health Authority has been removed.
Reports emerged this week that Glen Perchie, a longtime EMS chief with SHA, was fired following a meeting in which he spoke to municipal officials in the Town of Whitewood about staffing shortages impacting EMS services in the province.
An NDP news release pointed to comments from Perchie warning municipal officials that Saskatchewan’s EMS system is in “the worst shape we’ve been in for years” and “one sprained ankle away from being down an ambulance.”
Opposition health critic Meara Conway has written to Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill demanding an explanation for the removal. According to the NDP, the letter seeks answers on why Perchie was dismissed, why the government failed to be transparent about EMS shortages, and what steps will be taken to fix the problems identified and rebuild trust. Conway requested a response by 6 p.m. on Dec. 16.
“I certainly hope these reports are not true, because firing a frontline leader for telling municipal leaders the truth about risks to public safety is completely unacceptable,” Conway said in a statement.
“Transparency is not optional. Public confidence in the Saskatchewan Health Authority is at an all-time low, particularly as much of its leadership and board have been identified as Sask. Party donors, insiders, and political operatives.”
She added that “Saskatchewan people deserve assurance that your SHA is operating as a health-care system — not as an extension of the Premier’s Office. … Your responsibility is to deliver safe, reliable health care, not to protect the Sask. Party from criticism.”
In response, the Saskatchewan Health Authority issued a statement from chief operating officer Derek Miller. He said SHA is “unable to comment on individual human resource decisions, which are confidential and managed through established internal processes.”
Miller did, however, share information about “ongoing actions toward strengthening EMS services and our commitment to open and collaborative engagement.”
“The SHA encourages our leaders across the province to engage directly with municipal partners to share information, understand local needs and support collaborative planning,” Miller said. “We value the partnership of community leaders in strengthening health and emergency medical services and we appreciate the engagement of the Town of Whitewood and other municipalities that work with us to improve health services.
“To support continued engagement with the Town of Whitewood, SHA senior leadership will meet directly with municipal leadership to address their questions and ensure they have the information they need to support their residents. Our commitment is to reliable health and EMS services, strong communication and ongoing collaboration with the communities we serve.”
Miller added that the SHA and Ministry of Health “recognize the pressures within the EMS system and continue to make progress on a multi-year stabilization plan to address staffing issues in many communities across the province.”
He pointed to provincial investments since 2022-23 totalling nearly $18 million for an additional 200 full-time equivalent paramedic positions across 68 rural EMS services. He also noted the province has added 100 training seats annually — increasing from 152 to 252 — for primary care paramedics, and has provided more than $2.18 million to support over 200 training bursaries for EMS providers, as well as training and licensing support for emergency medical responders.
