NetNews Inc. NEWS RELEASE

Tuesday, May 9, 2000

Health Minister confirms that CLS has "outstanding issues"

Health and Wellness minister the Hon. Mr. Halvar Jonson confirmed during question period in the Alberta Legislature on May 8 that his department still has outstanding questions regarding the structure of Calgary Laboratory Services (CLS). He did not confirm that CLS has ministerial approval to operate.

Mr. Jonson was responding to a question by Alberta Liberal health critic Karen Leibovici. He said, "there are still one or two issues outstanding from a legal standpoint in terms of equity positions and risks that both sides would be encountering." Mr. Jonson stated that "those parts of the agreement will be wound up fairly shortly" - nearly four years after CLS has been operating.

Mr. Jonson also stated that there has been "an agreement and a working arrangement developed between the company and the regional health authority", but he did not elaborate details on that agreement.

In 1995, each of the 17 health regions in Alberta was told that its laboratory restructuring plans were to be approved by the minister. The structure of CLS has been operating since November 1, 1996 without that approval.

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