Guthrie breaks with UCP, calls for public inquiry into AHS allegations

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The joint conservative backstage MLA is breaking with the caucus rankings and calls on the government to launch a public investigation by the judge-led judge in the Alberta Health Service (AHS) surrounding the procurement allegations and accusing him of giving it a further speech.

Airdrie-Cochrane Mla Peter Guthrie was evacuated from the cabinet and suspended from the caucus in February after calling on Health Minister Adriana Lagrange to move to a new position, while AHS charges are underway in six investigations, including the Auditor General and RCMP.

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After leaving the cabinet, he also told Postmedia, “Something is sitting with me” and “we should have core values ​​and opposing corruption should be one of them.”

He stood up in the Legislature on Monday, citing a pair of columns published by Postmedia and calling for a long-term caucus suspension of the government.

“To properly represent my voters, I cannot permanently retain a suspension with the caucus, which comes with a gag order,” he said at the conference.

“I am now the 48th day of what I call a 30-day suspension, which has hindered my democratic rights to fully represent the people of Aldri-Kirchland.”

Guthrie has proposed a post-media column by three doctors asking “one inquiry all dominate them” and points to the limitations of ongoing investigations and believes that public inquiry is the only way to get into what’s going on.

Auditor Doug Wylie said he also proposed an April 11 column by Calgary Herald columnist Don Braid: “There is no way the government is trying to transfer the auditor general to lawyers – auditor Doug Wylie said.

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The column notes that the opposition’s latest revelation is that Alberta Health told the public servants to point questions from the Auditor General’s Office to its lawyers, which Wylie’s office was described as “not a standard practice” and also contradicts Lagrange’s statement, who believes Wylie knows the government’s involvement in its legal team.

Earlier Monday, Attorney General Mickey Amery defended Alberta’s health by directing employees through their attorneys and insisting that it was the standard practice.

“What we’re doing is we’re building an entrance point,” he said.

After listing the columns, Guthri told reporters in the Legislature that he agreed with the views of the two articles.

“We should go this path if we have nothing to hide,” he said of public inquiry.

He went on to describe the government’s approach to the auditor-general investigation as “obstructionists.”

“I want to see people who can share their thoughts with the Auditor General at will without feeling retribution.”

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He said he conveyed his message in a “clear way, or a mechanism.” He has sat in the Legislature with UCP backseaters since leaving the cabinet.

Later Monday, Guthrie voted with opposition New Democrats to pass a motion filed by health critic Sarah Hoffman calling for a public investigation of the charges.

The former government MLA and current independent member Scott Sinclair also voted on the NDP. Sinclair was evacuated from the UCP core last month after opposing the provincial budget.

Hoffman’s motion beat 45-29.

On Monday night, the UC Caucus said Gusri was still a member and had no comments on important issues within the internal Caucus. The Prime Minister’s Office delayed the caucus’ comments.

So far, the government has rejected repeated calls from the opposition to conduct a public investigation, saying the investigation that has been conducted is sufficient.

Lagrange responded to denying misconduct against allegations in the claim statement, a $1.7 million wrongful firing lawsuit filed by former AHS director Athana Mentzelopoulos.

mblack@postmedia.com

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