A provincial deputy minister says he is not trying to put Dr. Barry Ling out of his job.

Leo Walsh, deputy minister of intergovernmental affairs, does not deny that he made inquiries about Ling's position as chief of surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He wanted to know the status of that position while Ling was running in the provincial election for the legislature for the Liberal Party. Walsh is a close advisor to Conservative Premier Pat Binns.

The Liberals have suggested Walsh tried to get Ling fired.

Pat Dorsey, a senior advisor to the premier, says Walsh has no authority to ask for Ling to be removed and was not acting on behalf of the premier or government. He says the accusations are unsubstantiated, false, and irresponsible.