Alberta premier dodges questions on RCMP case during Edmonton announcement

Alberta’s premier avoided questions on an RCMP probe into Alberta Health Services (AHS) following a downtown Edmonton press conference on Friday.

Her fast exit came a day after the Mounties announced an investigation into the agency connected to allegations involving health contracts, government interference, and kickbacks, including free hockey tickets.

Earlier, a reporter asked Smith if she has any regrets over how this scandal is playing out — now that police are on the case — but she didn’t directly comment on the police investigation.

“Well, I’ll tell you what the main dispute is about. It’s really about whether we should be having alternative service providers giving service to Albertans or not,” said Premier Danielle Smith.

The former AHS CEO is suing the province for wrongful dismissal, saying she was fired in January for looking into the overpays on contracts with private surgical providers.

The Premier has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, but suggested if there was any involving more than $600 million in health contracts, it was on the part of AHS.

“Our world-class capital needs more world-class attractions,” said Smith.

The reason Smith went to Ice District to announce a $408 million infrastructure deal between the Province, the City of Edmonton, and the Oilers.

The plan is to build a new event park east of Rogers Place, 2,500 units of housing, and a new downtown park.

There is also $90 million in there to demolish the old coliseum. The new $250 million event space – is controversial even in Smith’s government.

UCP backbencher booted from caucus over threat to vote against budget

Last weekend her MLA from Lesser Slave Lake – Scott Sinclair – blasted the project, saying the money could be better spent on a highway project in his riding, for example.

Chief government whip Shane Getson says UCP members of the legislature voted to remove Lesser Slave Lake MLA Scott Sinclair because he intends to vote against the spending document.

Under parliamentary convention, the budget vote is a confidence vote, meaning that if it fails in the legislature, it’s expected the government will trigger an election.

Sinclair was the second UCP MLA to push back against Premier Danielle Smith in the span of a week.

Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie quit cabinet over his concerns with government-wide contracting processes.

As for the RCMP investigation, Mounties will not say what crimes are being investigated or name any suspects.

But the questions will certainly continue when MLAs are back in the legislature on Monday.

-With files from the Canadian Press