Shrouding details surrounding the departure of CEO Michael Aeberhardt from the Whitehorse General Hospital in secrecy will only create curiousity and questions from the public, says NDP Health critic John Edzerza.

Edzerza said this morning that he feels the chair of the hospital board, Craig Tuton, should be more up front with details surrounding the departure of Aeberhardt.

'If the board is going to be secret about what happened all it's going to do is draw a lot of curiousity and questions to this issue,' he said

'Was it a natural end to the contract, or was it a forced end to the contract. That's the question I think the board chair (Tuton) should just get busy and answer.

'Answer them and then there's no more questions,' he said.

Edzerza said while his party respects the fact that the Yukon Hospital Corporation board of trustees is independent from government, he feels public interest in a facility that receives millions of dollars of taxpayer money will continue until questions surrounding the facility are answered.

On Thursday, the hospital board announced Aeberhardt's three-year contract had ended, less than a year after the former CEO began his tenure on October 31, 2006.

Tuton refused to confirm whether Aeberhardt had resigned or had been fired, or if he was receiving a severance package.

Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell said Thursday he wanted answers on why Aeberhardt's tenure was ended and what, if anything, was included in the severance package.

Former hospital board chair Marny Ryder said this morning she too wondered if Aeberhardt was receiving a package.

'My question would be do they have to pay him out? It would be costly.'

She said she wasn't sure how much Aeberhardt was paid, but believed it was in excess of $100,000-a-year.

Tuton said this morning he could not reveal how much Aeberhardt was earning, or what the salary range is for CEO's at the hospital.

'I would say that would be privileged information between the board and the president.

'I don't know that there is a salary range.'

Ryder said she was surprised to hear that Aeberhardt was gone when only two months ago the board of trustees appeared to be backing him in a dispute with hospital doctors who had called for his resignation.

'I felt that when all the negative press was happening the board came out strongly in support of Mr. Aeberhardt.

'I felt with that kind of support they would have retained Mr. Aeberhardt's services.'

Ryder said while she feels sorry for Aeberhardt for having to endure so much negative publicity, she also feels the former CEO could have expected it when he refused to live in a community where he ran a community hospital.

'I felt a bit sorry for Mr. Aeberhardt, and then he had his contract ended.

'On the other hand, you make your bed and you lie in it.

'He chose not to move here and it is a community hospital.'

Ryder said given the special relationship between Tuton and the Fentie government, she hopes the situation will lead to better communication between the hospital and Health Minister Brad Cathers about a variety of issues including hospital finances, which she describes as underfunded.

'Mr. Tuton obviously has an in with the Yukon Party, I don't think that's a secret.

'I wish the politicians and the bureaucrats would listen. I think there's a lot of lip service paid to listening.

'Consultation means honest listening, not having your mind made up before you go in,' she said.