Wynne’s brother-in-law named interim eHealth chief
Premier Kathleen Wynne’s brotherin-law has been named the interim chief executive of eHealth Ontario, a move that raised the hackles of New Democrats at Queen’s Park with a spring election possible.
David Rounthwaite — who has been eHealth’s general counsel for four years — was given the role in a unanimous vote of the agency’s board of directors after interim CEO Ray Hession stepped aside to take care of his ill wife, eHealth spokesman Rob Mitchell said Tuesday.
“He was here long before Kathleen Wynne announced her intentions to run for premier,” Mitchell said of the appointment, which was effective March 7 but not widely publicized or posted on the website of the electronic health records agency.
Rounthwaite, an experienced Bay Street lawyer, is the brother of Wynne’s spouse, Jane Rounthwaite.
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said the appointment brings more attention to eHealth and its troubled past, which includes a spending scandal that saw consultants paid up to $3,000 a day expensing tea and cookies to taxpayers.
“My concern is that the appearance of something inappropriate is not a positive thing.”
Wynne’s minority Liberal administration, under daily attack for deleted emails in the $1.1 billion scandal over cancelled gas plants, is about to bring in a budget requiring NDP support to avoid a spring election. Rounthwaite is taking the eHealth job while an executive search firm continues looking for a full-time CEO to replace former head Greg Reed, whose departure last June caused a stir because of his $406,250 severance package stemming from a contract approved by former pre- mier Dalton McGuinty’s cabinet in 2010. Although Reed earned $325,000 a year, Rounthwaite is staying at his salary of $210,000, said Health Minister Deb Matthews, who told reporters she has known about the appointment for six weeks. “He is taking on this responsibility . . . but he’s not receiving a penny more. I was pleased there was no added remuneration . . . that would raise flags,” she added. “If you’re arguing that any relative of any member in government ought not work in the broader public sector I just can’t agree with that. He’s a very well respected lawyer.” Wynne was not asked about the appointment during question period in the legislature Tuesday.