ItSA国际影视传媒檚 striking to watch doctors, nurses, and unions publicly push the government to fix their workplaces so people can receive the healthcare they deserve.

WhatSA国际影视传媒檚 the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 response? The same old playbook: get rid of the public board.

When the Health minister faces legitimate criticism in the legislative assembly for poor performance, the solution is to dismiss unsalaried board members SA国际影视传媒攃ommunity appointees who meet four times a year and largely rubber-stamp what the CEO and minister dictate, as their advisory role allows no real power or accountability.

This isnSA国际影视传媒檛 new. The GNWT cabinet has taken this approach before with the Stanton Yellowknife Hospital board in 2002, then the Northwest Territories Power Corporation in 2016, Aurora College in 2017. What do these institutions share? TheySA国际影视传媒檙e all enduring failures of past governments, with no accountability for civil servants or cabinet members.

Now some MLAs applaud this move in the press, as if doctors and nurses had been demanding the removal of powerless, part-time board members. Instead, we bring in yet another southern "expert" to report to the same senior civil service and minister. Will they expose entrenched inefficiencies and poor decisions from the last decade? ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 a firing offence but also a potential payday, as seen with the abrupt dismissal of  SA国际影视传媒渃hange-makerSA国际影视传媒� Tom Weegar at Aurora College.

Will this new expert erase a $245 million health authority deficit? How?

If the legislative assembly insists on action, why not shuffle cabinet? It would at least send a message that poor performance has consequences. Right now, failure remains an option, with MLAs prioritizing their loyalty to the civil service over the public they represent.

This doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 mean starting over. People in the system often praise the care they receive and the staff they interact with. The main issue is accessing the system. Medical travel, bogged down by confusing rules and policies, is the exception and an administrative failure SA国际影视传媒� not a reflection of front-line healthcare workers.

Doctors and nurses have clear recommendations to improve access, control costs and keep staff. We need leaders willing to listen, act and motivate senior civil servants to do their jobs.

We need leaders capable of reforming our broken system.

SA国际影视传媒擝ruce Valpy is a longtime Yellowknifer and former publisher of SA国际影视传媒.