Government orders procurement investigation, but it isn’t the public one critics are demanding

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on March 4, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

Deputy Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Christopher McPherson issued a statement regarding a third-party investigation into the procurement processes used by the Government of Alberta and AHS.

“I have informed Premier Smith that the Honourable Raymond E. Wyant, former Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba, will lead this investigation,” said McPherson. “I asked Premier Smith to issue a ministerial order to facilitate his work and she has done so. Judge Wyant’s work on this matter begins immediately.”

McPherson went on to explain that Wyant will “review the relevant legislation, regulations and policies related to procurement typically used by Government of Alberta departments and agencies, specifically AHS, and their application to the procurement of pharmaceuticals and to services offered by chartered surgical facilities.”

Wyant has been given a budget of $500,000 for the investigation, including to retain legal and audit assistance. He will be paid $31,900 per month, which is the same remuneration rate as the Chief Justice of the Alberta Court of Justice, said the province.

“Appointed under the Government Organization Act, Judge Wyant will operate independently of government. The Government of Alberta will provide Judge Wyant with access to all relevant documents held by its departments and AHS, as well as facilitate interviews with relevant individuals,” said McPherson.

Naheed Nenshi, Leader of Alberta’s New Democrats, issued a statement in response, and said that this is not the public inquiry that is being called for.

He questioned the scope of the investigation, noting that “[Smith] is hobbling him before he begins by placing him in a straight jacket of restrictions from day one. The study’s strict terms and limited scope will prevent this judge from getting to the bottom of this CorruptCare scandal.”

“Because this is not a public inquiry, the judge cannot subpoena witnesses and require them to give evidence under oath,” said Nenshi. “He is also limited to rely only on the information provided by the government itself. He has been asked to deliver a report to the very office he’s investigating, and then let the premier sit on it for a month. That’s simply not good enough.”

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