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Cindy E. Harnett

Cindy E. Harnett

Cindy E. Harnett is a Times Colonist reporter focused on politics and health. Originally from Toronto, Cindy has previously worked as an editor and reporter at community newspapers in Ontario and B.C.

Cindy has been nominated for and won various awards. In 2022, she and photographer Darren Stone were finalists for a Jack Webster Award for Excellence in Health Reporting for Behind the Curtain: COVID patients in ICU.

Over the years, Cindy has gravitated to issues of justice, including the 1997 swarming and murder of teenager Reena Virk, the 2012 botched firing of eight B.C. Health Ministry researchers during which one committed suicide, the 2018 toxic drug poisoning death of Elliot Eurchuk, the 2019 William Head jailbreak that saw two prisoners charged with murder, and the 2025 drug funding controversy for terminally ill child Charleigh Pollock.

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Recent Work by Cindy E.

Premier calls for reform to B.C.'s process for determining expensive-drug coverage

Premier calls for reform to B.C.'s process for determining expensive-drug coverage

At least 10 people resigned from the Expensive Drugs for Rare Diseases Committee after the Health Minister reversed a decision to cut drug coverage for a 10-year-old Langford girl
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'Pure joy': B.C. reverses decision, will resume payments for Langford girl's drug

'Pure joy': B.C. reverses decision, will resume payments for Langford girl's drug

Each infusion of the drug for Charleigh Pollock, 10, costs about $33,000. Health Minister Josie Osborne said Friday that she ‘absolutely’ regrets the way the episode has played out
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College says B.C. won’t relax policy against doctors treating family

College says B.C. won’t relax policy against doctors treating family

Ontario is allowing doctors practising in remote, rural and Indigenous communities to provide medical care to family members if there isn’t another option.
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Doctor recruitment campaign draws almost 780 applications from U.S.

Doctor recruitment campaign draws almost 780 applications from U.S.

Recruitment efforts included an ad campaign that launched in early June and targeted Washington, Oregon and select cities in California.
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Langford girl to get privately funded infusion of pricey drug

Langford girl to get privately funded infusion of pricey drug

Charleigh Pollock’s mother says she hopes private funding will get her daughter through the summer months, after the province cut off coverage
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Mom says inaccurate posted ER wait times could deter people from seeking care

Mom says inaccurate posted ER wait times could deter people from seeking care

Island Health says it’s “not able to constantly upload data to inform a ‘real time’ prediction,” uploading the data “once per day.”
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Decision on Langford girl's drug coverage won't change: health minister

Decision on Langford girl's drug coverage won't change: health minister

Josie Osborne says Island Health is in discussions with Charleigh’s family around the possibility of the family using private funds to pay for the drug.
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Comox parents call for health-care system changes after death of 11-year-old son

Comox parents call for health-care system changes after death of 11-year-old son

Brayden Robbins, an 11-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, died on his second visit in seven days to the ER at Comox Valley Hospital.
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VicPD chief aims to recruit officers from other forces to meet 'six-month' deadline

VicPD chief aims to recruit officers from other forces to meet 'six-month' deadline

The nine new police officers are part of the city’s $10-million plan to restore public safety and order in Victoria’s downtown.
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Second Islander joins B.C. Green leadership race

Second Islander joins B.C. Green leadership race

Emily Lowan, 24, announced her candidacy on Thursday, a day after Comox town councillor and family doctor Jonathan Kerr.
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More work by Cindy E. >