EDMONTON — A final report into allegations of corruption in Alberta government health contracts says it was widely known two staffers were in conflicts of interest but no steps were taken by senior officials.
Former Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant makes 18 recommendations for the Alberta government, including improving conflict and procurement policies.
“Most people seemed to have assumed that those in charge were aware of and had dealt with (or were dealing with) these matters, but this does not appear to have been the case,” Wyant says in the report released Friday.
“This demonstrates the need for having processes that would allow people to bring matters such as this to the attention of others without fear.”
The investigation stemmed from allegations in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed by a former chief executive officer of Alberta’s provincial health authority.
Wyant says he found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Premier Danielle Smith, her ministers or other political staff.
But he wrote that the limited powers afforded to him mean he can’t make any definitive statements.
“That only means that I found no evidence of such,” he says. “I can only make conclusions based on the documents I was able to review and the people I interviewed.”
Wyant interviewed 26 people for his investigation, including a businessman at the heart of some of the allegations and the two staffers found in conflict, Jitendra Prasad and Blayne Iskiw.
Because the investigation was not a public inquiry, Wyant says some refused interviews and avoided answering certain questions.
“Because there was not the kind of vigorous examination and cross-examination that would take place in a formal setting, I could not come to conclusions on the credibility of information provided verbally by interviewees.”
Wyant says he felt many tried to tell the truth, but he was given the impression that some weren’t providing “complete information.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2025.
Lisa Johnson and Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
