Reaction and speculation grows one day after Dr. Eilish Cleary fired

FREDERICTON – Reaction and speculation has been bubbling up in the one day since Dr. Eilish Cleary confirmed she was terminated from her job as the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Her dismissal was the main discussion at the legislature, with several opposition MLA’s bringing it up in member statements and during Question Period.

“Who do we believe? Do we believe the Chief Medical Officer of Health would not give the Gallant government a blank cheque to do whatever they wanted to do?” asked Ernie Steeves, MLA for Moncton Northwest.

The province has continued to say Dr. Cleary’s termination was due to a human resources matter, one that involved several parties.

READ MORE: Dozens of supporters protest Dr. Eilish Cleary’s leave outside Department of Health

Officials say the government must maintain those people’s privacy rights.

“What I’m saying is that I have laws that I have to respect and those laws are very clear,” said Health Minister Victor Boudreau.

“If the person subject to all this wants to provide consent to government to release more information, than it’s certainly something we’re prepared to consider.”

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Consider, but Boudreau clarified it would be within the confines of the law.

But the leader of the Opposition says too many are speculating on the cause and that the government needs to find a way to quash the rumours.

“Somehow, they should clarify it so people don’t jump to conclusions that are incorrect,” said Bruce Fitch.

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The New Brunswick Medical Society’s President, John Whelan, said in a statement Tuesday that he has written a letter to Boudreau, citing his concerns over Cleary’s termination.

“We find this is a poor ending to the former Chief’s work, which was award-winning,” Whelan said.

“If any part of our own work suggests that our former Chief Medical Officer of Health was terminated because of a scientific or medical opinion, we will protest such a decision in the strongest possible terms.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "If any part of our own work suggests that our former Chief Medical Officer of Health was terminated because of a scientific or medical opinion, we will protest such a decision in the strongest possible terms."

The leader of the N.B. NDP, Dominic Cardy, is calling for an investigation into Cleary’s dismissal.

“I think the big thing that we have to ask now is – who ordered this?” he said.