Jean-Pierre Boisclair unfazed by responsibility
Jean-Pierre Boisclair — or JP, as he jauntily introduces himself — has massive shoes to fill.
The 66-year-old Boisclair was introduced Thursday as the new board chair of the Champlain Local Health Integration Network, which parcels out more than $2.5 billion in annual funding to area health-care institutions and programs, taking over from legendary surgeon Dr. Wilbert Keon.
Boisclair, a chartered accountant who retired last October as chief financial officer at the Conference Board of Canada, is a former director of The Ottawa Hospital and past board chair of the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre. He also served on the board of directors of troubled eHealth Ontario from 2010 to 2015.
Boisclair took time away from boning up on Champlain LHIN documents to speak to the Citizen.
Q Why did you want the job of board chair at the Champlain LHIN?
A I’d been working full-time for 48 years. I said to myself, I want to do things that are sort of givebacks and contribute to the community. And governance is one of the things that I enjoy doing. Q How much of a time commitment is this?
A
wind I’m up reckoningtaking a that third thisto a may half of my time, especially in the first year while I get my feet on the ground.
Q Do you get paid?
A I think there is a $200 per diem paid to directors. I don’t know what it is for the chair. I hate to admit that.
Q So you’re not in it for the money …
A Oh, you don’t do this for the money.
Q You’ve got a tough act to follow. How do you feel about that?
A I feel good. It’s not to sound cocksure or presumptuous in any way. But the way I look at the thing, there are three irresistible forces at play. One is the imperative for quality care. The second one is financial reality. The money isn’t there to throw at problems every day and in every way. And the third is demographics, which are changing hugely.
Dr. Keon did a tremendous amount to move things ahead. But I’m kind of happy to pick up the traces and help again move it forward.
Q What do you bring to the role of chair?
A I was brought up as a chartered accountant, so obviously I bring a financial discipline. In my career I’ve been CEO of a company in the private sector, so I hope I bring some organizational skills and orientation. I’ve seen the health-care system from a number of different vantage points. This one is different yet again, but the notion is the same as health care. It’s the notion of integration and bringing things together.
Q What are your personal priorities?
A This notion of integration is extremely important to me. Wait and access times is something that is foremost in my mind and community care is also right at the top of my list. If we can’t get that done right, we’re going to have a lot of problems in the next 10 to 15 years.