Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie is refusing to back down from his call for a full and transparent judicial inquiry into Alberta’s government procurement scandal, despite being placed under a gag order and suspended from the United Conservative Party caucus.
Guthrie is now on the 50th day of what was initially described as a 30-day suspension.
He broke his silence Monday in the Alberta Legislature, presenting two documents for tabling and addressing the Assembly.
“I have a number of documents for tabling, but 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.”
Guthrie cited a column by Don Braid titled "Government Tries to Deflect Auditor General to Lawyers – No Way, Says Doug Wylie," as evidence supporting his stance.
“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 said.
Guthrie resigned from Premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet on Feb. 25, citing concerns over the province’s procurement practices.
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Eleven days prior to his resignation, the CBC reported on a leaked memo in which Guthrie urged the premier to remove Health Minister Adriana LaGrange while allegations made by former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos were under investigation.
In a March interview with Cochrane Now, Guthrie emphasized the need for transparency and accountability.
“I want to be open, I want to be transparent. If there is activity that’s going on that’s nefarious in any way, we as a government should seek to explore and turn over every stone,” he said. “Whatever’s required for us to find out and unearth all of this, we should do it. We shouldn’t fall back. We want to make sure that the public has every confidence in this process,and hence, our government.”
On April 15, both Guthrie and independent MLA Scott Sinclair, who was expelled from the UCP caucus for voting against the provincial budget, sided with the opposition NDP in supporting a public inquiry into the province’s handling of AHS procurements. The motion failed.