Alberta's government has released a third-party investigation from a former judge into the government and health authority's health-care procurement practices.
Former Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant was tasked with the investigation in March, looking into multimillion-dollar contracts for children's medication and for surgeries by for-profit providers.
The allegations stemmed from a wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed earlier this year by the former head of AHS, Athana Mentzelopoulos.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said in a statement Friday that the investigation involved the review and analysis of over two million documents and the interview and examination of 26 individuals.
Wyant's report contained 18 recommendations. These include: a centralized system for conflict of interest declarations tied to AHS or the agency responsible for procurement; implementing a vendor code of conduct; creating whistleblower protection for AHS employees; mandatory training on conflict of interest declarations and disclosures; and a requirement that all contracts with a value over $10 million be reviewed by the procurement lawyer.
Wyant says he found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of 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."
The premier thanked Wyant for the report.
“Although the judge’s findings clearly indicate that elected officials, senior staff and members of the public service acted appropriately in these matters, I am deeply disappointed with the way these procurements and contracts were dealt with by AHS decision makers and some of its employees."
Smith said in her statement that the province has made efforts to improve accountability.
“It is clear from the findings in judge Wyant’s report that AHS procurement policies and practices were either insufficient or not properly enforced. Now that procurement is being moved into Acute Care Alberta, as previously announced, our government will be able to ensure stronger accountability and transparency for taxpayers going forward."
Because the investigation was not a public inquiry, Wyant says some individuals 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."