Alberta’s United Conservative Party has expelled MLA Pete Guthrie from its caucus after he supported an NDP motion calling for a public inquiry into allegations of political interference in medical procurements.
The UCP caucus made the announcement on April 16, two days after Guthrie
voted in favour of a motion introduced by NDP health critic Sarah Hoffman. The motion called for a public inquiry into allegations made by former Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos, who filed a lawsuit in February.
The former CEO claims she was pressured by Alberta government officials to sign new deals for private surgical facilities and that she was removed from her position because she had launched an internal investigation into AHS contracts and procurement practices. She is seeking $1.7 million in damages, citing breach of her four-year contract, of which she completed one year.
The allegations have prompted various investigations, including a
review by the province’s auditor general, an internal review by AHS, and an RCMP
probe. The province has also launched a third-party
investigation led by former Manitoba judge Raymond E. Wyant.
The Opposition NDP has been calling for a public inquiry on the matter since the allegations first emerged. Premier Danielle Smith has said she also wants to know if there was any wrongdoing, adding that she was not involved in procurement decisions. She says her government is fully cooperating with the investigations currently underway.
The government
filed its statement of defence on March 13, denying Mentzelopoulos’ allegations of wrongful termination. It says the former CEO was removed because she “failed” to fulfill her responsibilities in implementing policy directives related to health-care system restructuring, adding that
Mentzelopoulos’ employment agreement contained a termination clause that “expressly” permitted early termination.
The UCP caucus called the decision to expel Guthrie “difficult.” The MLA was the only UCP member to support the opposition motion, which received 29 votes in favour and 45 against. He is now
listed in the legislature as an independent member.
“MLA Guthrie has made it clear that he does not support the Government’s decision to wait for the investigations of both the Auditor General and Judge Raymond Wyant to conclude prior to taking further action on the issue of AHS procurement practices and the allegations made by the former AHS CEO,” said the caucus in a
press release.
“It is also clear that he wishes to continue to publicly voice his opposition to the government on that issue,” it added. “We wish him well as he continues in his role as MLA for his constituency.”
Resignation and Suspension
The Epoch Times sought comment from Guthrie, but did not hear back by publication time. He told reporters at the legislature on April 16 that “criticizing government comes at a cost.”
“I am now an independent member,” he said. “I’m still going to be out there, calling for that same honesty and transparency.”Chief government whip Shane Getson told reporters the same day that caucus members share Guthrie’s interest in the results of the investigation, but said their approach to the matter differs from his.
“We want to get to the end of the results as much as everybody else, but he expects a different route,” Getson said. “Now he’s fully free to do what he needs to.”
Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized Guthrie’s expulsion, saying the premier had “fired the one person in her caucus who asked for transparency.”
“This is not ethical or competent leadership,” Nenshi said in an April 17 social media post. Guthrie
resigned as infrastructure minister on Fed. 25, citing concerns over the provincial government’s procurement practices across all departments. He said then he would continue to sit as a UCP MLA to continue voicing his concerns.
After his resignation, Guthrie told the media he had been placed on a 30-day probation, which barred him from attending regular caucus meetings and government committee sessions. He
said during the April 14 legislative session that his suspension had come with “a gag order.”
“To properly represent my constituents, I cannot be held in perpetuity to a suspension from caucus which comes with a gag order,” Guthrie said. “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.”
“This highlights some of the very reasons I resigned from cabinet and why I called for a judicial review, co-operation with the RCMP, and our government’s full support of the investigation of the Auditor General,” he added.
Neither Mentzelopoulos’ nor the province’s allegations have been tested in court.
Another MLA Previously Ousted
The NDP motion calling for a public inquiry into the AHS allegations was also supported by Scott Sinclair, MLA for Lesser Slave Lake, who was
voted out of the UCP caucus last month after saying he would vote against the government’s budget bill. Sinclair now
sits as an independent legislature member.
Getson previously told The Epoch Times Sinclair had the right to vote against the budget, but he shouldn’t do so as a UCP caucus member.
“MLA Sinclair has made it clear, both in his social media posts and in his conversations with colleagues, that he intends to vote against the budget. As an elected MLA he has that right, but may not do so as a member of the government caucus,” Getson told The Epoch Times.
“Budget votes are confidence votes. The failure of a budget to pass results in an immediate election. All government MLAs are expected to vote in favour of a tabled budget.”
Sinclair said at the time he was “extremely disappointed” to have been removed from the caucus.
“I’m not crossing the floor to the NDP and I have no plans in whipping votes to trigger an election,” he said in a March 11 social media post. “I did not vote against the budget, I simply spoke out against it and I’m disappointed I was removed before the vote even happened.” Chandra Philip contributed to this report.
