Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says hiring lawyers to funnel requests from the auditor general isn’t meant to obstruct an investigation into multimillion-dollar health contracts — it’s about helping get to the truth. Read More
The Opposition NDP’s leader in the legislature, Christina Gray, said Monday the policy suggests a coverup is afoot
The Opposition NDP’s leader in the legislature, Christina Gray, said Monday the policy suggests a coverup is afoot
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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says hiring lawyers to funnel requests from the auditor general isn’t meant to obstruct an investigation into multimillion-dollar health contracts — it’s about helping get to the truth.
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The government has instructed public servants to contact a lawyer to co-ordinate if auditor general Doug Wylie requests an interview as part of his probe.
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The Opposition NDP’s leader in the legislature, Christina Gray, said Monday the policy suggests a coverup is afoot, and challenged the premier to lift what the NDP calls a “gag order.”
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It was the first opportunity for the NDP to ask questions directly to Smith since the government directive was revealed in a leaked internal email last week.
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The United Conservative premier said the NDP is twisting the truth, and there is no gag order.
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Smith said the policy is the best way to help Wylie collect the thousands of records he needs and co-ordinate possibly hundreds of interviews to get to the bottom of allegations of questionable contracts.
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“There’s a large number of documents to co-ordinate, and that’s the best method to do so,” she said.
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“The auditor general can ask any employee, former or current, any questions he likes as he is doing the investigation. We believe our role is to assist in being able to facilitate that access,” she said.
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Gray said that’s “ridiculous,” since employees have been told to not pick up the phone when Wylie calls.
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She said the government falsely stated that the process is standard and the auditor general endorsed it — a claim that last week was challenged by the auditor general himself.
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“Does the premier understand how corrupt this looks?” Gray asked.
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Smith said she learned late last week that Alberta Health hired an outside lawyer to help, and she has directed her justice minister to make sure staff and officials are fully co-operating with Wylie’s investigation.
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Multiple investigations have been launched, including one by the RCMP, since the former head of Alberta Health Services launched a lawsuit alleging she was wrongfully fired for looking into sweetheart deals, high-level political interference and corruption in health contracts.
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The government and AHS have said Athana Mentzelopoulos was fired because she was failing in her job and was working to stop mandated health reform.