Wyant Report demands public inquiry

By Lethbridge Herald on October 24, 2025.

David Carpenter
For the Herald

In at least one significant aspect, it was similar to the Alberta Next propaganda meetings. You had to wade all the way through Premier Smith’s response, which she insists holds her and her government purer than the driven snow, before you get to the link to Justice Raymond Wyant’s actual report. But even given the difficulty in getting to the actual report, I would recommend that you somehow download a copy and read it. 

Yes, its 43 pages, but its well worth it. Because, even with the exceptional constraints imposed upon Justice Wyant, he is able to make an airtight case of the need for a public inquiry into the CorruptCare scandal. 

I will start with a direct quote from Justice Wyant: “Unlike a public inquiry, this investigation did not have the power to subpoena or hear testimony under oath. As a result, people had the opportunity to decline to be interviewed. Some did. Further, because testimony was not under oath, people could decline to answer questions. Some did. 

Further, 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. In most cases, I perceived, based on my experience, that people were striving to tell the truth and to recall events in as much detail as possible. 

However, there were occasions where I was left with the impression that might not be the case nor that full and complete information was being provided.”

Not to overstate the obvious, but the constraints imposed by the premier upon Wyant were designed to ensure that all evidence provided to him, including the documents which he was able to review as well as the testimony of any elected or appointed government officials, were carefully choreographed by UCP spin masters to ensure consistency. 

Harmful testimony was not heard and people declined to answer questions which did not fit the narrative. And yet, with all this control, Justice Wyant was still able to conclude that he was not being told the complete and truthful version of events. The fact that Justice Wyant was able to see through this speaks to his skill as a jurist as well as the incompetence of the UCP hacks in charge of massaging the evidence. 

So while Smith proudly proclaims that there was no wrongful interference by government officials, it must be read only in the context of the evidence which Wyant was supplied. In his words, ”when I find that there was no wrongful interference by any government official in the matters concerning this report, that only means that I found no evidence of such, but I am not in a position to make a final and absolute determination. I can only make conclusions based on the documents I was able to review and the people I interviewed.”

The report is quite detailed as to individuals and time frames, as well as decisions made during the process, and paints a narrative, designed by the UCP spin masters through their production of evidence scheme, the purpose of which is to cast health officials as the scapegoat for the $70-million loss on the Turkish drugs adventure. Evidence was not provided as to why health officials would proceed with such a program.

Wyant saw right through this and reported “The Deputy Minister of Health was advised through the Minister’s office that there was potential to purchase children’s analgesics from a company in Turkey. The Deputy was asked to have the department conduct an assessment of the purchase and it did NOT recommend proceeding with the purchase. The demand in Alberta at the time would have been for approximately 500,000 bottles but the proposed contract was for 5,000,000 bottles.” 

On Nov. 23, 2022, the Minister of Health directed AHS to procure the Turkish drugs prior to receiving Health Canada Clearances and on December 1, 2022, the Alberta Minister of Health issued a further directive to Alberta Health Services to take all necessary steps to procure the Turkish drugs on an expedited basis.

In that simple declaration, Wyant confirms that the purchase of the Turkish drugs was initiated through and ordered by the UCP cabinet. Full stop.

The need becomes obvious here that a full-blown public inquiry is the only way to see how far down the rot extends. It appears to start at the top but this is the one way which Premier Smith can exonerate herself and her cabinet. Expose everything to the bright light of day with no constraints on the inquiry and the full authority to subpoena witnesses, including current and former cabinet ministers, and compel testimony under oath.

As for my comparison that Danielle Smith’s government is purer than the driven snow, right now it looks like a better comparison might be the yellow snow after my dog Charlie goes on his morning walk.

David Carpenter is a retired chartered accountant, business owner and a former mayor of Lethbridge.