Grey Bruce Board of Health Chair Nicholas Saunders has requested retraction of what he called "unfair" allegations against him. Saunders said recent comments from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) have been undermined by an admission from ministry staff that he did not act alone in the attempt to remove municipal members from the health board.
In a follow-up letter to Dr. Kieran Moore, Saunders pointed to a virtual meeting held on Friday, August 22, attended by all Grey Bruce Board of Health members, the local Medical Officer of Health, and several Ministry of Health officials. During that meeting, ministry representative Brent Feeney acknowledged that Saunders had acted “in coordination with him and others in [the CMOH’s] office” when termination letters were issued to municipal appointees.
Saunders said this admission directly contradicts Moore’s earlier statement on August 14, suggesting that the Chair had acted unilaterally.
“While an apology is deserved, I merely ask you to confirm that you are withdrawing the allegation so we can get back to our primary focus of working collaboratively to rebuild relationships and support public health in Grey Bruce,” Saunders wrote.
The dispute began when directives were issued by the province in July and August calling for governance changes at the Grey Bruce Health Unit. The Board later determined, following legal advice, that the province’s order to immediately replace municipal members exceeded its authority under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
On August 14, Moore responded by transferring all powers of the Grey Bruce Board of Health to his office. Saunders has said he will comply with that directive, but continues to challenge the way events have been characterized.
Saunders maintained that the health unit board has been dysfunctional for years. While he supports a competency-based approach to governance, he insisted the province’s method was both too rushed and beyond its legal authority.
