N.S. health minister misled public on LifeFlight: documents

CORRECTION: The government sent a second statement to Global News before the story was published. However, an issue with our email server meant the email was only received after publishing.Newly obtained documents suggest health minister Leo Glavine misled the public when he said rules that could prevent LifeFlight from landing on hospital rooftops were never brought to his attention before April 1.A briefing note to the minister, obtained by Global News through access to information, shows Glavine was briefed on LifeFlight compliance as early as February 2016.That contradicts statements made by Glavine in May that until April 1, air ambulance compliance was never raised with him.

“I certainly have had absolutely zero awareness that standards had changed and that there were going to be new requirements,” Glavine said on May 2.

Following an order from Transport Canada, LifeFlight helicopters stopped landing on roof-top helipads at hospitals in Halifax and Digby on April 1. Instead, the helicopters started landing at nearby ground-level helipads — adding up to 15 minutes of transport time for critically ill patients.WATCH: Minister Leo Glavine told reporters in May 2016 he had no knowledge of changes with LifeFlight compliance

0:45 N.S. Health Minister Leo Glavine’s May 2016 comments on Lifeflight

At the time, provincial officials said Transport Canada had informed the operator of the Sikorsky S-76A helicopters that it would no longer be allowed to land on three hospital roof-top helipads because the multi-engined helicopters wouldn’t meet height requirements for landing and taking off should one of the engines fail.

Briefing Note: EHS LifeFlight Transport Canada Compliance

The document titled “EHS LifeFlight Transport Canada Compliance” and dated February 16, notes that “several years ago,” Transport Canada changed its “performance requirements” for landing in built-up areas or on roof-top helipads.It goes on to note that Transport Canada identified that helipads at the IWK and QEII fell under the new requirements — the two Halifax hospitals affected by the decision two months later.READ MORE: LifeFlight helicopters pulled from servicing hospital rooftops by choice: Canadian HelicoptersFollowing the mention of the reclassified helipads, the rest of the briefing note is redacted, including recommendations to the minister. However, a separate email dated February 24, 2016 says Glavine accepted the recommendations.

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No ‘discussions at the ministerial level’ about LifeFlight compliance: Glavine

Despite receiving and accepting the briefing note in February, Glavine said on May 5 “the department had not had any discussions at the ministerial level” about LifeFlight compliance.

He made similar comments throughout the first week of May, after the government announced on April 29 the helicopters had been prevented from landing on roof-top hospital helipads since April 1.

Asked why no action was taken before April 1, Glavine said on May 4 “it doesn’t seem like EHS had that kind of knowledge” about the new regulation.

However, the contact on the February briefing note was the then-executive director of Emergency Health Services, Ian Bower.

Asked why Nova Scotia was so slow to adopt the new rules, Glavine said the problem was that he and his department weren’t aware of it until April.

“Not having this information until April 1 for me is my understanding that the department had not had any discussions at the ministerial level,” Glavine said. “I certainly haven’t been apprised of what took place in 2007.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Not having this information until April 1 for me is my understanding that the department had not had any discussions at the ministerial level," Glavine said. "I certainly haven't been apprised of what took place in 2007."

He went on to say that “what is important” for Nova Scotians to know is that the department began “moving forward absolutely as quickly” as it could to get a new helicopter.

He also said in May his department would be conducting a review about why he wasn’t informed about the new regulations earlier.

Minister not available for interview

Glavine was not made available for an interview Tuesday and the first statement sent on his behalf did not address the questions raised by Global News.

A second statement received after the article was published acknowledges that despite his public comments, Glavine was aware of the 2007 change in regulations.

“The briefing note from February was to update the Minister on an ongoing situation since 2007,” a statement from health department spokesperson Tony Kiritsis said. However, the statement doesn’t address why Glavine repeatedly said he didn’t know about the changes.

The statement also says the briefing note didn’t include a recommendation for the minister, but it doesn’t explain why a document obtained by Global News says the minister accepted the recommendations in it.

Both opposition parties say the documents raise questions about what Glavine knew and when.

“He knew for months this was going to be a problem with the LifeFlight service and he chose to create the impression that he had been caught by surprise,” Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He knew for months this was going to be a problem with the LifeFlight service and he chose to create the impression that he had been caught by surprise," Progressive Conservative leader Jamie Baillie said.

Both Baillie and NDP leader Gary Burrill are calling on the government to release the unredacted version of the briefing note.

“It certainly would seem that the minister had become aware, had been notified in February that things were amiss,” Burrill said.

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