NDP questions deal with Calgary clinic to provide mammograms

The Saskatchewan government’s deal with a private clinic in Calgary to provide mammograms isn’t sitting well with the Opposition NDP.

The province is to pay Clearpoint Health Network $2 million to provide 1,000 mammograms through the end of March of 2025.

According to The Canadian Press, public disclosure documents show the company’s subsidiary, Surgical Centres Inc., donated more than $14,000 to the Saskatchewan Party.

The province’s lobby registry also says the company hired former Sask. Party finance minister Kevin Doherty to lobby on its behalf.

NDP Ethics Critic Meara Conway contends the company is charging 10 times what it would cost to do the mammograms in Saskatchewan. Combining that with the discovery that the company was a donor, Conway said the deal “is not a good look.”

“It raises questions about whether this is an appropriate solve (and) who is benefitting from this crisis,” she told reporters.

“It should have never got to this point, but we’re very disappointed to see that the solution has been to award this contract to a significant donor of the Sask. Party at what appears on its face to be 10 times what we pay locally. It’s not a good situation.”

Health Minister Everett Hindley said the company’s donation was never brought up in cabinet discussions about the contract to provide mammograms. As well, he said Doherty’s lobbying didn’t have any impact on the government’s decision.

Instead, Hindley said the clinic was chosen because the company already has a contract with the Saskatchewan government to do hip and knee surgeries.

He noted the government was looking for an immediate solution for people to receive mammograms, given that the wait list in the province now numbers 350. With expediency in mind, he said, the government chose the Calgary option.

“This was the (clinic) that was identified to us immediately and we were looking — and are looking — for the shortest-term solutions we can to really cut down (wait times) because there is a lot of pressure on the waiting list,” Hindley said.

“In hindsight, could we have (put it up for tender or) should we have? Perhaps, but again I think this was the one that was first identified to us and was identified as being a fit for us to be able to implement this very, very quickly.”

Conway said Hindley’s explanation that the government already had a contract with the company doesn’t change her view about the agreement.

“If anything, it raises further concerns around did (government officials) do a proper tendering process (and) did they ensure that they took steps to find the best solution and not just go with the easiest solution, which was to give more money to a donor,” she said.

Conway said the government should be building capacity in Saskatchewan to do screening for breast cancer in the province instead of having to send people to other provinces.

— With files from The Canadian Press