Former Alberta infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie, who resigned from cabinet in February over concerns linked to the so-called CorruptCare scandal, told the legislature Monday his extended caucus suspension is hindering his ability to represent his Airdrie-Cochrane constituents.
Guthrie, still a United Conservative Party (UCP) MLA, said the suspension, now in its 48th day, “comes with a gag order.” Initially set at 30 days, it bars him from caucus meetings and government committees.
"I am now at day 48 of my so-called 30 day suspension, impeding my democratic right to fully represent the people of Airdrie-Cochrane."
The CorruptCare scandal centres on allegations of political interference in Alberta Health Services (AHS) procurement contracts. The controversy began with former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos’s claims she faced pressure to approve overpriced surgical contracts before her firing on Jan. 8.
She is suing the province for $1.7 million for wrongful dismissal.
The issue has triggered multiple investigations, an RCMP probe, an auditor general inquiry, and a third-party review.
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi has accused the UCP of a cover-up, citing a leaked email suggesting officials were told to redirect auditor general inquiries to lawyers. The UCP denies wrongdoing, saying Mentzelopoulos’ dismissal was part of AHS’s restructuring and due to performance issues.
Referencing a column by Don Braid, Guthrie said Monday, “The procurement scandal is fast morphing into one of the most epic legal battles Alberta has ever seen. Mr. Speaker, this highlights some of the very reasons I resigned from cabinet and why I call for a judicial review, co-operation with the RCMP, and our government’s full support of the investigation of the auditor general."
Guthrie added, citing another article, “The only way to achieve full transparency is through a judicial public inquiry.”
The province claims transparency through ongoing reviews, including a third-party investigation, while dismissing opposition claims of a cover-up. It maintains that any issues with contracts are being addressed through proper legal and auditing processes.
In its statement of defence in the Mentzelopoulos lawsuit, the province said, “The plaintiff was not fired by AHS because she commenced an investigation. She was not fired as part of a conspiracy to stop an investigation. She was fired because she failed to perform her role as president and CEO effectively and failed to carry out the mandate she was given to implement the transformation of AHS, which the premier of Alberta mandated the minister to implement.”
