Alberta’s Smith resists calls from NDP to pull lawyers from health probe process

EDMONTON — 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.

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.

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.”

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.

The United Conservative premier said the NDP is twisting the truth, and there is no gag order.

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.

“There’s a large number of documents to co-ordinate, and that’s the best method to do so,” she said.

“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.

Gray said that’s “ridiculous,” since employees have been told to not pick up the phone when Wylie calls.

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.

“Does the premier understand how corrupt this looks?” Gray asked.

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.

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.

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.

Allegations from either side have yet to be tested in court.

The health ministry did not immediately respond to The Canadian Press on Monday to clarify whether government employees are also being instructed to forward requests from former Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant as part of his separate investigation into health contracts.

The premier is also getting renewed pushback from one of her own caucus members.

Former infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie, who had stepped down from cabinet over the government’s handling of the scandal, said he remains under a UCP caucus gag order.

He used the routine tabling of reports to say in the legislature that having lawyers involved in the auditor general’s review amounts to the “muzzling of government officials.”

Guthrie, who now sits as UCP backbencher representing the Airdrie-Cochrane riding, told reporters it is “obstructionist.”

“I would like to see people feel free to be able to share their thoughts with the auditor general without feeling that (there) may be retribution for them,” he said.

Guthrie also said he agreed with the NDP, and other critics, who have called for a full judicial public inquiry.

“If we have nothing to hide, we should take that path,” he said.

New Democrats have said Wyant’s investigation was hamstrung by the government from the start, and that calling a full public inquiry is the only way to ensure the full story is unearthed.

Health critic Sarah Hoffman continued that push Monday with a vote in the house.

While the UCP used its majority to defeat her motion, Opposition members didn’t stand alone.

Both Guthrie and former UCP member Scott Sinclair supported calling a public inquiry.

Sinclair, who now sits as an Independent member for Lesser Slave Lake, was kicked out of UCP caucus for threatening to vote against the government’s budget.

— with files from Jack Farrell

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2025.

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press