Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
“I have read various media stories containing allegations regarding the procurement and contracting processes of AHS. They are troubling allegations and they should be reviewed as quickly as possible.
“To that end, I will be writing Auditor General Doug Wylie to ask for an expedited review and his findings on this issue. I have also directed my officials to ensure that any request for information from Mr. Wylie or his office is dealt with on a fully transparent and expedited basis. We need to get to the bottom of this issue quickly to identify any potential wrongdoing, correct it, and address it appropriately.
“I have also asked that AHS’s internal review be completed as quickly as possible and delivered directly to me so we can study the results and make improvements or adjustments to these processes. Until these findings are delivered, AHS has paused the contracting for the surgical facilities under review.
“As Premier, I was not involved in any wrongdoing. Any insinuation to the contrary is false, baseless and defamatory.
“It’s no secret I have been unhappy with the level and quality of service delivered by AHS and in the inability of AHS to deliver quality and timely healthcare to Albertans. I will continue to relentlessly push forward to make improvements. Although that has required difficult decisions and major change, I do not accept the current results. There is a widespread and deep-seated resistance to change that we must overcome.
“That’s my goal: better healthcare for all.”