MLA Peter Guthrie kicked out of UCP caucus

Former cabinet minister and the MLA for Airdrie-Cochrane Peter Guthrie has now been kicked out of the United Conservative Party’s caucus.

Outspoken Alberta MLA Peter Guthrie has been expelled from the United Conservative Party.

The UCP caucus made the announcement Wednesday after it made some determinations about Guthrie’s allegiance to the party.

“He does not support the government’s decision to wait for the investigations of both the auditor general and Judge Raymond Wyant to conclude prior to taking further action on the issue of (Alberta Health Services’) procurement practices and the allegations made by the former AHS CEO,” the caucus said in a statement.

“It is also clear that he wishes to continue to publicly voice his opposition to the government on that issue.”

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Guthrie’s departure from caucus comes just a day after he voted in favour of a motion to call for a public inquiry into the AHS procurement scandal and months after he resigned as infrastructure minister over the same issue.

In February, Guthrie resigned his cabinet post over concerns about the AHS procurement scandal, confirming that his own infrastructure department was involved with MHCare CEO Sam Mraiche.

In a statement to CTV News at the time, Guthrie said his office was involved in a land purchase but he was not made aware of the deal.

After learning about it, he said he ordered his department to conduct an audit to ensure all proper procedures were followed.

He also asked the auditor general to investigate.

Premier Danielle Smith, when asked about the audit, told reporters she wouldn’t be moving forward with it – that it would be “a witch hunt.”

(With files from Timm Bruch and CTV Edmonton)