“Does the Fraser Health Authority chair Jim Sinclair have the full confidence and support of this minister?”

That was the question directed at B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne on Tuesday, as Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford took her to task, calling for Sinclair to be fired from his role.

With the health region dealing with multiple crises over the last year and a half, Halford’s simple question was deflected by Osborne.

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“We’ll always put patients before politics. That’s why, with Surrey being one of the fastest growing communities in British Columbia, we have continued to take action to invest in new infrastructure, new hospitals,” the health minister responded.

Halford said Osborne’s “non-answer” was an answer in itself.

Halford and the BC Conservatives say Sinclair needs to be let go from the top job in the health authority.

“The NDP have chosen to put one of their biggest political insiders at the helm of Fraser Health, and the results have been absolutely disastrous … disastrous,” Halford said.

But Osborne did eventually throw some support behind Sinclair.

“The Fraser Health Authority, the chair, the board members, in fact, the board members of every single health authority here in this province, are working hard each and every day putting people’s interests first,” she said.

The calls for Sinclair’s firing come as critics, and many within the health-care system, say Fraser Health needs an overhaul. Last month, the health region and CEO Dr. Victoria Lee parted ways.

With files from Mike Lloyd and Dean Recksiedler.