Former Manitoba judge to lead investigation into Alberta's health procurements

Trevor Howlett · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 03, 2025 7:45 PM EST | Last Updated: March 4

A erstwhile main justice of the Provincial Court of Manitoba volition pb an probe into the procurement practices of Alberta Health and the province's wellness authority.

Christopher McPherson, lawman curate of Jobs, Economy and Trade, announced successful a quality merchandise Monday day that Raymond E. Wyant, who afloat retired arsenic a justice past year, will pb the third-party probe into health contracts.

Wyant's enactment volition statesman instantly and helium volition present an interim written study by May 30 and last written study and recommendations by June 30. The last study and recommendations volition beryllium posted connected the province's website, the quality merchandise states.

Among the questions Wyant volition question to answer, according to the investigation's presumption of reference, is whether Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services decision-makers exercised their authorization appropriately during procurement.

He'll besides see whether anyone, including elected officials, authorities staff or immoderate AHS oregon nationalist worker acted improperly during the procurement process "in the discourse of the government's expressed argumentation objectives and the operational and biology contexts astatine the clip of the procurements."

Wyant's presumption of notation besides authorities helium volition question to reply the question: "Did AH oregon AHS employees, oregon the agents and/or unit of the companies progressive successful the procurements, decently disclose oregon analyse imaginable conflicts of involvement during procurement processes?"

The assignment comes aft the erstwhile CEO of Alberta Health Services, Athana Mentzelopoulos, filed a $1.7-million wrongful dismissal suit past period against AHS and the province.

In the suit, Mentzelopoulos said she was fired successful portion due to the fact that she'd launched an probe and forensic audit into assorted contracts and was reassessing deals she had concluded were overpriced with backstage surgical companies she claimed had links to authorities officials.

None of the allegations person been tested successful tribunal and statements of defence person not yet been filed. 

In February, Alberta's auditor general, Doug Wylie launched his ain probe into procurement and contracting processes wrong the province's wellness authorization to code "concerns oregon allegations related to contracting and imaginable conflicts of interest."

Former infrastructure curate Peter Guthrie resigned from his presumption past week, citing a deficiency of assurance successful the government's procurement practices.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she has seen nary grounds of wrongdoing astatine Alberta Health Services amid allegations of struggle of interest. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange has said she had nary engagement successful determining details of contracts with backstage surgical facilities.  

According to the March 3 ministerial bid made by the premier that appointed Wyant, backing for the probe volition beryllium provided by the Department of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. That section volition besides beryllium Wyant's superior contact.

Wyant's probe volition beryllium supported done "the proviso of documents and entree to applicable individuals for the intent of interviews," the bid states. 

Wyant volition beryllium paid $31,900 per period and has a fund of $500,000 for the probe work, including immoderate costs to clasp ineligible and audit assistance.

NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said successful statement that Wyant's probe would beryllium hampered by the presumption and scope acceptable by the government.

"Because this is not a nationalist inquiry, the justice cannot subpoena witnesses and necessitate them to springiness grounds nether oath, " said Nenshi. "He is besides constricted to trust lone connected the accusation provided by the authorities itself … and past fto the premier beryllium connected it for a month. That's simply not bully enough."