'Incompetence and dishonesty': Notley calls out 2 ministers after patient discharged to motel

The Alberta NDP is asking the UCP government for accountability after a 62-year-old partially paralyzed man was taken to a motel when he was discharged from hospital.

The family of Blair Canniff told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday they are "very frustrated" that Alberta Health Services let Contentment Social Services take the 62-year-old to a Travelodge Motel in Leduc to continue his recovery from a stroke.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Opposition NDP claims Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said Canniff chose to go there.

The NDP also released a letter Contentment Social Services wrote to another patient that includes the motel's address but does not mention that the $1,600 "bachelor style suite" is in a Travelodge.

"The individual that we're talking about here actually chose the non-profit provider," LaGrange said Wednesday afternoon. "What I'm really disappointed and concerned about is that the non-profit provider who actually provides non-medical housing was not clear with the patient, with the individual, that they were taking them to this motel."

LaGrange said Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health do not have contracts with Contentment Social Services, and encouraged reporters to talk to Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon about the discharge.

Nixon then repeatedly said his ministry does not have a contract with the organization either.

Moments later NDP Leader Rachel Notley said, "Either they are lying or they don't deserve to be in their job.

"Given the display of incompetence and dishonesty by everybody in the government, they need to come clean and do a report on just how many contractors are out there, who's responsible for overseeing them, what the rights of patients are, how many motel rooms are part of this plan right now, and who it is that patients can turn to if they feel pressured by someone that is offering services which are not appropriate."

CTV News Edmonton has called and emailed Contentment Social Services but has not heard back.

Canniff is now back at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski