Cameron Inquiry
Encyclopedia
The Cameron Inquiry, formerly the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing, is a Canadian public judicial inquiry into the conduct of the Newfoundland and Labrador
Eastern Health
authority. The inquiry is investigating whether Eastern Health was at fault in the reporting of erroneous and delayed test results to breast cancer
patients between 1997 and 2005, and in then failing to report the full scope of these errors. The inquiry developed ramifications for regional and national politics as the opposition Liberal Party
questioned why the regional Progressive Conservative Party
government had not intervened sooner in the crisis, and said that former deputy health minister Robert Thompson
, who had been appointed to chair the inquiry, should stand down, prompting Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams
to accuse the Liberals of a smear campaign. The inquiry, chaired by Justice Margaret Cameron, was called in May 2007 and is due to report in March 2009.
lab in St Johns, Newfoundland. The tests were designed to register patients' hormone levels, and determine whether they could benefit from potentially life-saving hormone oncology treatments. The board commissioned the re-testing of results from up to 1,500 patients and alerted the office of premier Danny Williams
of this development and of potential ensuing media interest. An hour after first contacting Williams's office, the board sent a second message with what communications director Karen Matthews described to the inquiry as a "stand-down" notice, saying the issue had been minimized; Matthews responded by withdrawing the office from high alert over the case. Former health minister John Ottenheimer
told the inquiry that he wished to publicize the testing failures when they emerged in May 2005, but deferred to Eastern Health's request that he leave them to handle the affair internally.
After retesting, Eastern Health concluded that 383 patients had received erroneous results, of whom 117 required a change to their treatment programs In December 2006 the board held a series of media briefings on the hormone receptor test errors, downplaying the seriousness and extent of the problems.
The provincial government then called a judicial inquiry, commencing November 2007, into Eastern Health's actions.
suggesting that continuing with the tone, style, and procedure of the inquiry could cause the health system to collapse. Chair Margaret Cameron declined the government's application to prevent inquiry lawyers from cross-examining witnesses, which had been presented as an attempt to expedite the inquiry.
Opposition leader Yvonne Jones
accused premier Williams of trying to "undermine" the inquiry by questioning testimony and witness examination procedures, including one occasion on which Williams described the inquiry in May 2008 as a "witch hunt." Jones also said that former deputy health minister Robert Thompson, a Progressive Conservative who had been commissioned to oversee the inquiry, had a conflict of interest and should stand down. Williams responded critically to what he called an attempt by Jones to smear senior public health officials.
Peter Dawe of the Canadian Cancer Society
objected to Williams's perceived attempts to speed up the inquiry, saying that patients deserved a full investigation however long it took.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
Eastern Health
Health and Community Services Eastern Region
Health and Community Services Eastern Region is the governing body for healthcare regulation in an area of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The area region includes the communities of:* Bonavista Peninsula* Burin Peninsula* Avalon Peninsula...
authority. The inquiry is investigating whether Eastern Health was at fault in the reporting of erroneous and delayed test results to breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
patients between 1997 and 2005, and in then failing to report the full scope of these errors. The inquiry developed ramifications for regional and national politics as the opposition Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...
questioned why the regional Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...
government had not intervened sooner in the crisis, and said that former deputy health minister Robert Thompson
Robert Thompson
Robert or Bob Thompson may refer to:*Bob Thompson , American orchestra leader, arranger, composer*Bob Thompson , American figurative painter*Bob Thompson , British producer and writer...
, who had been appointed to chair the inquiry, should stand down, prompting Newfoundland and Labrador premier Danny Williams
Danny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...
to accuse the Liberals of a smear campaign. The inquiry, chaired by Justice Margaret Cameron, was called in May 2007 and is due to report in March 2009.
Background
In May 2005 Eastern Health discovered errors in hormone receptor breast cancer test results from a histologyHistology
Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is performed by examining cells and tissues commonly by sectioning and staining; followed by examination under a light microscope or electron microscope...
lab in St Johns, Newfoundland. The tests were designed to register patients' hormone levels, and determine whether they could benefit from potentially life-saving hormone oncology treatments. The board commissioned the re-testing of results from up to 1,500 patients and alerted the office of premier Danny Williams
Danny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...
of this development and of potential ensuing media interest. An hour after first contacting Williams's office, the board sent a second message with what communications director Karen Matthews described to the inquiry as a "stand-down" notice, saying the issue had been minimized; Matthews responded by withdrawing the office from high alert over the case. Former health minister John Ottenheimer
John Ottenheimer
John Ottenheimer is a Canadian lawyer and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador. Ottenheimer represented the district of St. John's East in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1996 to 2007. He was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party before retiring from provincial...
told the inquiry that he wished to publicize the testing failures when they emerged in May 2005, but deferred to Eastern Health's request that he leave them to handle the affair internally.
After retesting, Eastern Health concluded that 383 patients had received erroneous results, of whom 117 required a change to their treatment programs In December 2006 the board held a series of media briefings on the hormone receptor test errors, downplaying the seriousness and extent of the problems.
Press reports
In May 2007 the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) published reports showing that Eastern Health knew the error rate for the screening tests to have been around 42%, considerably higher than the figure they disclosed in the December 2006 media briefings.The provincial government then called a judicial inquiry, commencing November 2007, into Eastern Health's actions.
Conduct of the inquiry
The inquiry saw dozens of witnesses between November 2007 and October 2008. In May 2008 the provincial government questioned the length of time the inquiry was taking, with justice minister Jerome KennedyJerome Kennedy
Jerome Kennedy QC, MHA is a Canadian lawyer and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, currently serving as the Minister of Natural Resources in the cabinet of Premier Kathy Dunderdale....
suggesting that continuing with the tone, style, and procedure of the inquiry could cause the health system to collapse. Chair Margaret Cameron declined the government's application to prevent inquiry lawyers from cross-examining witnesses, which had been presented as an attempt to expedite the inquiry.
Opposition leader Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones is a Canadian politician and former leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She currently represents the riding of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, and was one of only three Liberal incumbents re-elected in the province's...
accused premier Williams of trying to "undermine" the inquiry by questioning testimony and witness examination procedures, including one occasion on which Williams described the inquiry in May 2008 as a "witch hunt." Jones also said that former deputy health minister Robert Thompson, a Progressive Conservative who had been commissioned to oversee the inquiry, had a conflict of interest and should stand down. Williams responded critically to what he called an attempt by Jones to smear senior public health officials.
Peter Dawe of the Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based charitable organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of those living with the disease....
objected to Williams's perceived attempts to speed up the inquiry, saying that patients deserved a full investigation however long it took.
Inquiry report
The inquiry finished hearing testimony in October 2008 and was due to report by March 1, 2009.Lawsuit
In 2007, after the revelation that Eastern Health had deliberately concealed the scope of the testing errors, hundreds of patients filed a class action lawsuit against Eastern Health over the affair; the lawsuit was not expected to be resolved before summer 2009.External links
- Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing - the Cameron Inquiry