In a rather ironic move, the Saskatchewan Health Authority recently fired a longtime paramedic for speaking up about the challenges and current shortage of Emergency Medical Services personnel.
The SHA dismissed EMS Director/Chief – South Glen Perchie just weeks after he delivered a frank and transparent briefing to the Town of Whitewood about the worsening crisis in rural ambulance coverage. Read about the meeting with Whitewood council here.
Perchie and Deputy Chief Jon Antal met with Whitewood council on Nov. 4, answering questions about repeated ambulance outages over the summer. Their comments were published in the Nov. 14 editions of several Grasslands News publications.
Within weeks of that story appearing, Perchie was let go — a decision that has left Mayor Chris Ashfield frustrated and concerned about what the firing signals for rural communities seeking answers. Ashfield said the town invited SHA officials because residents deserved clear information about why their ambulance had been out of service multiple times over the summer.
“People in our community were worried,” Ashfield said. “When your ambulance isn’t available and another one has to come from another town 30 or 40 minutes away, that’s not a small issue. That could very well be life and death. We asked the SHA to come speak to us because we needed straight answers, and Glen gave us those answers.”
Ashfield said Perchie’s openness stood out.
“He didn’t sugarcoat it. He didn’t try to spin anything. He told us what the challenges were, why they were happening, and what needed to change,” he said. “That kind of honesty is rare, and frankly, it’s exactly what rural communities need if we’re going to fix these problems.”
During the Nov. 4 meeting, Perchie and Antal explained that Saskatchewan EMS is experiencing “the worst staffing situation in years,” with significant vacancies across nearly every ambulance service.
Whitewood had faced several periods this year where its ambulance was unavailable due to a lack of paramedics. Neighboring towns responded to those calls, leaving gaps in their own coverage.
Ashfield said council appreciated the clarity.
“It helped us understand that Whitewood isn’t being singled out — the whole province is in trouble,” he said. “But it was also reassuring to hear that we’re doing some things right. Our 12-hour shifts, living quarters for staff, and support from the community are all things they said were helping keep our service in the community.”
Ashfield said news of Perchie’s dismissal came as a surprise.
“When I heard Glen had been let go, my first reaction was concern,” Ashfield said. “We didn’t ask him to come here and defend the SHA. We asked him to come here and explain what’s happening. He did that. If someone is punished for being honest with a municipal council, what message does that send?”
The mayor said the timing raises uncomfortable questions.
“It’s hard not to connect the dots,” he added. “Our story went to a large part of southeast Saskatchewan, and two weeks after the person who spoke to us is out of a job. Whether that’s coincidence or not, it’s not a good look.”
Ashfield emphasized that rural towns rely heavily on transparent communication with provincial health officials.
“If we’re down an ambulance or understaffed, we need to know that — not after the fact, not weeks later,” he said. “We need the truth so we can advocate for solutions. Shutting down people who deliver that truth doesn’t bring us any closer to fixing the problem.”
He added that Perchie’s insights were essential for understanding how the province intends to stabilize EMS services.
“He talked about bursaries, training, restricted licences, and the long-term plan for assembling crews. That’s all important information,” Ashfield said. “Now that he’s gone, who picks that work up? Who do rural leaders call when they need clarity?”
The firing has also ignited renewed anger in rural Saskatchewan, where many communities already feel unheard when it comes to healthcare services. Ashfield says the firing sends a troubling message: that speaking candidly about rural healthcare pressures may come with consequences.
“This is exactly why communities struggle to get straight answers out of bureaucrats,” said Ashfield. “If someone like Glen can be fired for telling us the truth, what chance do communities have to get answers when they have questions or concerns?”
Moosomin-Montmartre MLA Kevin Weedmark declined to comment on the situation, pointing out that the government appoints the SHA board, who hires a CEO – the person responsible for operations of the authority.
The SHA also balked at a response when asked.
“The SHA does not comment on individual human resource decisions, which are confidential and managed through established internal processes,” said Doug Dahl, Director Media Relations and Issues Management, Community Engagement and Communications with the SHA.
Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill and Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr also both refused to comment on the SHA’s decision.
Back in February, Cockrill noted in a radio interview that he and SHA CEO Andrew Will would be looking at where they can trim the fat in terms of middle management. The health minister noted at that time of having heard complaints of an imbalance where there are too many managers and not enough frontline staff. By June, 26 senior ‘out-of-scope’ positions throughout the SHA were cut, generating $10.4 million in efficiencies. The changes also created 27 new clinical manager jobs plus enhanced 20 existing positions in 45 rural and northern communities. According to numbers from the SHA, there are more than 45,000 health professionals currently working in Saskatchewan with over 2,700 physicians caring for patients.
On Dec. 3, the SHA posted a position for Director of Primary Health Care Regina South, with the application deadline of Dec. 10, and an expected start date for Dec. 29. Reporting to the Executive Director of Primary Health Care – Regina Area, the job description includes looking to fill gaps and needs.
Perhaps more EMS staff will be one of those needs identified.
