Council, chamber, concerned citizens committee sue over air ambulance relocation

Mayor Ern Simms arrived at Jim Bennet's law firm in Daniel's Harbour last Tuesday at 10:30 p.m., signed an affidavit, got back in his truck and drove home to St. Anthony.

St. Anthony Town Council, the St. Anthony and area Chamber of Commerce and the Save our Air Ambulance Concerned Citizens Committee are suing the provincial government to keep the air ambulance from being relocated to Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

This Friday, Mr. Bennett will be in court seeking an interlocutory order demanding the plane stay at its current base until the case is resolved.

"It's going to be a pretty good fight on short notice," said Mr. Bennett of the suit. "I never know the odds but I think we've got a reasonable case to make - I don't see how government could take all these assets from the International Grenfell Association (IGA) and then start cutting away at all these services."

On May 2, 1981 the IGA transferred all their assets except for $300,000 to the Department of Public Works under the condition that the provincial government would continue to provide health care service in the area covered by IGA in the manner IGA was providing them, subject to government policy.

"Our position is that you (the provincial government) made a legal commitment and the air ambulance is an integral part of these services being provided in a remote area and this move is against the spirit, intent and clear wording of the agreement," said Mr. Bennett. "Basically, we're saying they are in breech of contract."

The emergency town council meeting called to pass a motion seeking to sue the provincial government was somber.

"We don't have many avenues left open to us," Mayor Simms told his councilors, who voted unanimously with two abstentions. "We tried everything, met with the minister several times and he refused to listen to reason, refused to accept that a thorough review of the air ambulance service needed to be done. The premier refused our repeated attempts to get a hearing from him. To protect the future of the region, we have no choice."

The two abstaining councilors cited conflict of interest as employees of Labrador-Grenfell Health.

"We don't want anyone else put in danger," said councilor Ralph Hedderson, referring to the previous week's press release by Labrador-Grenfell Health accusing its pilots of avoiding duty during the dispute. "We don't want to see our councilors get targeted, get dragged through the mud."

Deputy mayor Marilyn Walker put out a warning to the residents of St. Anthony that she expected there to be repercussions over this lawsuit.

"We want residents to know that by moving forward with this there could be things we won't be able to accomplish as a council. If a road doesn't get paved, if the province refuses to approve us money for infrastructure over this, the residents of this town need to know that if we suffer over the next few years why we did what did. We're going out on a limb here, but it has to be done."

The actual hearing of the case is in late June. A Department of Health spokesperson told the Pen they don't comment on cases currently before the courts.