News that the RCMP is now investigating allegations of high-level UCP government interference around medical contracts marks a significant intensification of a controversy that is already of great public concern.
With a third-party investigation also already underway, the matter is threatening to become a referendum on the Smith government – at a time when the province is already facing the very troubling U.S. tariff situation.
Whether concrete answers will result from the investigations remains to be seen. What is known, however, is that the public has every right to expect everyone involved, including the premier and all government MLAs, to be open and transparent as investigators search for the truth.
Former Alberta Health Services president Athana Mentzelopoulos has alleged that the UCP government engaged in conflicts of interest surrounding multi-million-dollar deals for health products and surgical procedures. She has filed a $1.7 million lawsuit over the matter.
Last week, the RCMP said: “Following a review, the RCMP has begun an investigation into the matter.”
Although no further details about the investigation have been released, the RCMP does have broad powers to examine allegations of wrongdoing by any elected official.
For her part, Premier Danielle Smith has already proclaimed her own innocence in the matter.
“As premier, I was not involved in any wrongdoing,” Smith said. “Any insinuation to the contrary is false, baseless and defamatory.”
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says he is glad the Mounties are now involved, something he has been calling for since the allegations surfaced.
“These allegations of bloated contracts are incredibly serious, and we’re glad to see them being treated as such,” he said. “We have faith in the RCMP investigation and encourage the government to be fully transparent, much more than they have been to date.”
Involving the multi-billion-dollar, taxpayer-funded health-care system, these procurement allegations represent one of the most troubling controversies seen in Alberta in many years.
As such, residents here will be watching closely to see that the full and complete truth comes out.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
