REGINA - Controversy raged at the Legislature this week over the move of seniors out of Emmanuel Villa in Emerald Park.
The seniors moved to Emmanuel Villa after the closure of Pioneer Village beds in 2019-20. Now a pilot project at the residence is ending and the seniors are moving out, much to the dismay of Emmanuel Villa staff on hand at the legislature Wednesday.
Minister of Seniors Everett Hindley explained what was happening in Question Period Wednesday, in response to questioning from Opposition Critic Matt Love. The exchange is from Hansard:
Hon. Mr. Hindley: — “…We recognize that it’s always difficult for seniors and older adults when a move is required from a facility to another facility. Mr. Speaker, in this particular instance, Emmanuel Villa was contracted by the SHA to provide long-term care spaces on a temporary basis to meet the immediate need for long-term care beds in the city of Regina, back in about 2019, 2020 as a result of the closure of a significant portion of the beds at Regina Pioneer Village.
“Mr. Speaker, this was done on a temporary basis, and we’re trying to make sure that the residents, and their families, that are being needed to be moved, that we’re making that as easy and seamless as possible for those residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.”
The Speaker: — “I recognize the member from Saskatoon Eastview.”
Mr. Love: — “I assure you, Mr. Speaker, it has not been easy and it has not been seamless. This government sat on their hands for years as Pioneer Village crumbled. This government’s solution pilot project placed seniors in both Emmanuel Villa and Brightwater. These seniors have settled in. They’ve spent years in their new home, but they’re now being displaced from Emmanuel Villa because this government is changing course and creating chaos for families. One senior was put in a taxicab and sent to Lumsden.
“The people who built this province deserve better. Will the minister commit to grandfathering all seniors currently living at Emmanuel Villa? Will he do the right thing and allow these seniors to stay in their home?”
The Speaker: — “I recognize the Minister Responsible for Seniors.”
Hon. Mr. Hindley: — “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, we’re trying to make this as easy as possible for the residents and their families. Now, Mr. Speaker, when the RFP [request for proposal] was posted in 2019, it said very clearly, and I quote:
“The SHA is interested in implementation of a short-term, two-year field test for community-based long-term care services, with an option to extend for one additional year, for up to 100 beds in personal care home environments.
“Now since that point in time, in the summer of 2021 the Government of Saskatchewan announced the initiative to add 600 more long-term care beds in the city of Regina. A number of those are specialized beds, will be delivered by the SHA, and the remainder of the beds will be the standard long-term care beds.
“Mr. Speaker, we’re adding more long-term bed capacity in the city of Regina, and we’re well under way with that particular project. The RFP for that project closed earlier this fall. Submissions are being reviewed, and there will be decisions made in fairly short order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.”
In response to that, Love pointed to the nearly 40 individuals in the gallery and accused the minister of having created “a complete mess.”
Mr. Love: — “… People are confused, people are frustrated, and people are afraid. They’re here today requesting a meeting with that minister to resolve the situation. Will he follow through on his commitment and meet with them today?”
The Speaker: — “I’d like to remind the person in the gallery not to shout out. It’s just not acceptable.I recognize the Minister Responsible for Seniors.”
Hon. Mr. Hindley: — “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I welcome the guests to the gallery today. I’d be pleased to meet with the residents and their families after question period and the proceedings are done here today to discuss this further.”
Afterwards, in speaking with reporters, the frustrations of Emmanuel Villa officials and supporters boiled over.
“The families feel they have been run roughshod by Sask Health and by the minister not putting the most important thing in place being the seniors,” said Jack Sailor, whose mother Ella has been at the residence for two years.
“Many of the seniors being cared for do not want to leave, and they are being bullied by Sask Health, not only the residents but the families. It’s sent a chill through the community because Sask Health can send you anywhere they want you to go.”
He said the pilot program was terminated and officials had “offered no explanation, no justification, no motivation. Who benefits from this, whose interests are being served? It certainly isn’t the seniors.”
The SHA agreement with Emmanuel Villa was for 40 beds and is set to expire Dec. 31. The SHA gave their six month notice in June.
Meanwhile, a new RFP was issued in June for 375 long-term beds, as part of the government’s initiative to add more long-term beds in Regina.
The Emmanuel Vista officials made it known they were steamed about that particular RFP process, making it known they believe Brightwater Senior Living in Regina will be awarded the contract for the 375 beds.
“Emmanuel Villa was excluded from that RFP, they made it strictly Regina city limits so that Emmanuel Villa and Emerald Park could not participate,” said Heather Martin, executive director of Emmanuel Villa.
“And that is because by their scoring system we would have been awarded the beds.”
Brightwater had also housed 60 seniors as part of the pilot project, and lately has been receiving some seniors now moving out of Emmanuel Villa. Martin made it known she thought the RFP was written up for a Brightwater facility.
“Brightwater is a good company, but this stinks.”
Accusations levelled at Christine Tell
There were further accusations levelled at Minister of Corrections and Policing Christine Tell over what was alleged to be a conflict of interest over her family’s stake in Brightwater. In particular, her late brother Kevin Tell held a major stake in Brightwater before he passed away in January.
Martin did acknowledge that Tell “did state there was a conflict.” There were some meetings with the MLA, but Martin accused Tell, who represents the Emerald Park area as MLA for Regina Wascana Plains, of doing nothing to help.
“It’s incredibly disappointing when you have an MLA for your own building who refuses to help you and then you find out it’s probably because it’s helping the family instead.”
The allegations ended up being forwarded to the Conflict of Interest commissioner by the NDP's Matt Love. However, Tell has been cleared by the commissioner of any conflict of interest.
According to a letter from the commissioner to Love dated Nov. 9, it was noted that there was no suggestion Minister Tell had entered into a contract with SHA related to Brightwater Senior Living, and that Minister Tell took the initiative to freely declare her late brother’s interest in Brightwater to ensure there was no perception of a conflict of interest.
“The Conflict of Interest commissioner has already said there’s no grounds, there’s no reasonable probable grounds, which is required under the Conflict of Interest,” said Tell when asked by reporters about it on Thursday. “There is no balance of probabilities to the inquiry made by the members opposite. So I will not be discussing it further.”
When asked by reporters Tell also said she did not tell Emmanuel Villa she would no longer help them. “That is untrue,” she said. Tell also said “she wanted to be upfront with them” about her brother’s interest.
As for the NDP taking the accusations to the Conflict of Interest commissioner, Tell said “you can’t be throwing these kinds of allegations around. There was no balance of probabilities or reasonable probable grounds, which is a criminal benchmark that is required under this. (They) had nothing, but the letter is written. I just don’t think these things should be thrown around lightly, at all.”
