Alberta appoints former judge to probe health contracts after allegations of interference

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has appointed a former judge to investigate whether the province’s procurement decisions around health were consistent with the government’s policy objectives, after The Globe and Mail first reported allegations of political interference last month.Ms. Smith, in a ministerial order published Monday, named Raymond Wyant, a former chief judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba, as the independent investigator. He will review the circumstances around which the Ministry of Health and Alberta Health Services procured children’s medicine and chartered surgical facilities, according to the terms of reference.The Premier’s instructions make no reference to investigating contracts and procurement related to MHCare Medical and companies affiliated with its owner, Sam Mraiche, beyond the troubled 2022 deal to buy $70-million in generic children’s medication from Turkey. AHS’s former chief executive alleges, in a lawsuit, that the provincial health authority paid firms affiliated with Mr. Mraiche around $614-million for goods and services over recent years.