Auditor general denies that Alberta gov't using lawyer for investigation is normal

Alberta's auditor wide is contradicting the provincial government's assertion that it is mean to person lawyers progressive successful its investigations.

On Wednesday, immoderate wellness ministry and Alberta Health Services (AHS) unit members received an email — which CBC News obtained — that told them to nonstop members of the bureau of the auditor wide to the government's ineligible counsel if they are contacted arsenic portion of the probe into the government's health-care procurement practices.

The email included an illustration of however staff can respond to a petition from the auditor general's office. The illustration email's wording suggested the lawyer volition enactment arsenic a constituent idiosyncratic to coordinate interviews.

"We were not alert of, nor did we endorse, that projected action. This is not a modular signifier our bureau typically encounters successful the people of its work," Cheryl Schneider, spokesperson for the bureau of auditor general, told CBC News successful an email Friday.

Multiple investigations person started since erstwhile AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos launched a $1.7-million suit against her ex-employer and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.

Mentzelopoulos alleges that she was wrongfully dismissed aft launching an interior probe and forensic audit into health-care contracts, and reassessing deals with backstage surgical companies she felt were overpriced and had links to authorities officials.

The authorities and AHS person said Mentzelopoulos was fired due to the fact that she failed astatine her occupation and worked to halt mandated health-care reform. 

No allegations person yet been proven successful court.

Auditor General Doug Wylie publically announced his probe successful February, earlier Mentzelopoulos filed her lawsuit. At the time, helium said the applicable parties were informed astir the probe connected Jan. 31.

Wylie's probe focuses connected the government's procurement practices for chartered surgical facilities, medicine — ibuprofen oregon acetaminophen — and COVID-19 idiosyncratic extortion equipment. It will besides analyse the effectiveness of absorption and power processes, including governance and oversight.

The Alberta authorities was antecedently criticized for its PPE purchasing aboriginal successful the pandemic, and a $70-million woody to bargain children's symptom medicine from Turkey-based Atabay Pharmaceuticals, which progressive MH Care, an Edmonton-based aesculapian supplier. The deal, made during a North American shortage successful 2022, has not yet been fulfilled.

The Alberta government, including Premier Danielle Smith, has antecedently stated that it takes earnestly Mentzelopoulos' allegations of governmental interference and conflicts of interest, and that it volition beryllium transparent with Wylie's squad due to the fact that it wants to code immoderate wrongdoing.

Justice Minister Mickey Amery reiterated the government's stance during Thursday's question period.

The Opposition NDP, which for months has accused the governing United Conservative Party of a cover-up, pressed astir the email sent to wellness staffers, claiming it amounted to a gag order.

"The absorption tin marque each the allegations that they want. They're simply untrue," Amery said.

A spokesperson from LaGrange's bureau aboriginal told CBC News successful an email that nationalist servants having a lawyer, oregon ministry elder staff, contiguous during interviews with the bureau of the auditor wide is "standard practice," due to the fact that it ensures procedural fairness and helps staffers recognize "their rights, obligations, and the scope of their information successful the investigation."

Unionized unit tin besides inquire for national representation, the spokesperson added.

The email's instructions are "the modular process" during specified investigations, they said, adding that Wylie's bureau knew of — and approved — coordinating interrogation and documentation requests done ineligible counsel.

Schneider, from the auditor general's office, denied that.

News of the email amazed Wylie, and the bureau plans to clarify wherefore it was sent, Schneider said.

Wylie volition bash "everything indispensable wrong his power" to entree the accusation and radical helium needs for the investigation, she added.

The Health Ministry has shared much than 13,000 documents with Wylie's bureau and has afloat cooperated with each requests, the spokesperson from LaGrange's bureau said.

Retaining the lawyer is an effort to coordinate interviews, negociate grounds postulation and assistance Wylie's bureau done its investigation, they said.

"This is not astir impeding the investigation," they said.

The premier echoed that Saturday. During her bi-weekly vigor programme connected 880 CHED, she said the lawyer volition beryllium a azygous constituent of interaction to assistance marque the process much efficient.

"I accidental the auditor wide could conscionable beryllium randomly trying to telephone people, oregon we could person idiosyncratic who's a navigator to assistance coordinate who helium needs, what helium needs," Smith said connected air.

She has besides directed Amery to cheque successful with Wylie, to spot if the authorities tin lick immoderate errors that were made, oregon assistance with immoderate problems helium whitethorn have, she said.

"We privation to beryllium capable to facilitate access, facilitate the transportation of documents, and springiness him immoderate helium needs," Smith said.

On Thursday, enactment person Naheed Nenshi again called for a nationalist inquiry.