The appointment of former Tofino mayor Josie Osborne as the new health minister has drawn the praise of a rural health care advocate.
Paul Adams, executive director of the Princeton-based, non-partisan Rural Health Network, said his organization sees Osborne's appointment as a "positive step" toward addressing the "unique challenges" facing rural and remote communities.
"Minister Osborne brings invaluable lived experience from her time on the west coast of Vancouver Island, an area characterized by its rural and Indigenous communities," Adams said. "Her years as mayor of Tofino and her service as an MLA and cabinet minister have equipped her with both a deep understanding of rural realities and significant legislative experience."
He added that these qualities will be critical as she takes on what she calls the "most complex portfolio" in the provincial government.
Departing long-time minister Adrian Dix leaves the portfolio as the longest-tenured health minister in modern B.C. history. This fact raises the question of why Premier David Eby would replace somebody so experienced with somebody less experienced.
"She is a highly capable minister," Eby said Monday. "She is able to deliver, she learns quickly, and she comes from a smaller community...her constituency (Mid-Island Pacific Rim) includes a number of rural and remote communities." He added that Osborne will bring that perspective to her new ministry, "because that's an area where we face challenges right now."
Adams acknowledged Dix's experience and track record in pointing to his role in "navigating" B.C. through "one of the most challenging periods in healthcare history," namely the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We deeply appreciate his service and commitment to the health and well-being of British Columbians during this time," Adams said.
But he paired this historic praise with an acknowledgement that change was needed.
"The healthcare challenges facing our province, particularly in rural and remote communities, require innovative approaches and a renewed focus," Adams said. "Minister Dix's departure presents an opportunity for fresh perspectives and new strategies to address these pressing issues, particularly the persistent inequities experienced by rural residents."
Adams said Osborne's key priority is to address the "ongoing crises in rural healthcare, including emergency room closures, with urgency and transparency."
He added that this priority will require direct engagement with rural communities to ensure that "their voices and needs" are reflected in provincial policies. Funding alone won't solve inequities, he added. "Success must be measured by outcomes, ensuring that no matter where someone lives or what their diagnosis may be, they can access the care they need."
Adams added that Osborne must address the "root causes of the crisis" and avoid 'good news' announcements. "The focus must remain on achieving sustainable, community-informed solutions that strengthen the entire healthcare system," he said.
When asked how quickly rural communities might be able to see a turnaround in terms of emergency room closures, Osborne said Monday said she looks forward to meeting mayors and leaders who have struggled with this issue.
"I want to say, 'I hear you, I see you,'" she said. "I look forward to meeting with them at the earliest opportunity and not only to working with those communities and their leadership, but all of the health-care workers in those communities as I learn this new job."
Osborne's appointment also drew praise from fast-growing urban parts of the province, including Nanaimo, whose Mayor Leonard Krog said he was "delighted" to see a Vancouver Islander in the health ministry.
"She should be well aware of the crucial needs here in Nanaimo, both for a cath lab and a (new) patient tower, let alone other health care facilities and the need for family physicians," Krog said. "As much as I appreciate the tremendous work of Adrian Dix, who is one of the brightest people I have ever encountered in public life, but candidly, being minister of health is a grinding job, and I would like to think he could use a new challenge."
Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad said he hopes the change in ministers will lead to more transparency.
"(Dix) is a very smart man," Rustad said. "He knew his stats and and he also knew how to embellish statistics....when he was in health, he'd come up with all kinds of interesting statistics to try to make things look good, but the reality on the ground was obviously very different for people."
Rustad added that he was "happy to see a change" in health. "I have respect for Josie," Rustad said. "So it'll be interesting. Obviously, we've got a lot of questions -- emergency rooms being closed, the level of services being down. "
Rustad suggested Osborne's tasks go beyond these immediate issues. Compared to other jurisdictions, B.C. has witnessed a steady decline in the quality of the health care system.
"People haven't noticed just how bad our health care system has become," he said. "So it's going to be interesting to see whether (New Democrats) are going to change their course and or whether they are just going to double down on the failed policies that they have."
Osborne's appointment can also be read as part of Eby's promised outreach to rural B.C. and bridging the gap in terms of available services, of which health care is perhaps the most essential and existential.
So how does the chosen cabinet match that ambition? "Premier Eby鈥檚 cabinet appointments reflect the challenges of a reduced number of rural MLAs in the government caucus and the complexities of managing a fragile majority," Adams said. "This reality underscores the importance of working collaboratively across political divides to address the pressing needs of rural communities, particularly in healthcare."
Black Press Media has also reached out to the B.C. Nurses and Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz for comment and will update this story accordingly.
