Peter Guthrie resigns his cabinet position as infrastructure minister

“I’m just a regular guy, seeing what’s going on and I don’t like what I see”

is one line from an interview Mr Guthrie had with Calgary Sun columnist Rick Bell.  Others included:

“Something doesn’t sit right with me. It doesn’t pass the smell test, plain and simple. We should have core values and being against corruption should be one of those, right? […]  I can’t sit around a table where a cabinet feels it’s fine that dishonesty and conflict of interest is a normal course of business. I don’t want to be a part of that. There is no amount I could speak in that room to change anyone’s mind. That became clear to me.”

Premier Danielle Smith commented on Minister Guthrie’s resignation saying (regarding AHS) that she didn’t know anything and wasn’t involved.

After his later ousting from UCP caucus, Guthrie made his resignation letter to Smith public.  In it, he writes:

At cabinet on Wednesday, it became clear that the Minister of Health, and possibly even you Premier, had knowledge of identified procurement issues involving AH [Alberta Health] & AHS, yet you deliberately misled our reduced quorum Health Cabinet Committee (HPGCC) on January 30th.  This deception resulted in the dismissal of the AHS board.  During that committee meeting I expressed my concerns requesting further disclosure, but none was forthcoming.

Remarkably, during last Wednesday’s meeting, the majority of Ministers around the table, with the exception of Minister Jones, were satisfied that the practice of withholding pertinent decision-making details was justifiable and one in which they could support.

Due to this clear disconnect in our opinions around Cabinet conduct, I can no longer serve Executive Council.  This is not why we were elected; this is not what Albertans expect, and Premier, this was not why I supported you as leader.

If we can normalize deception in government business practices, what other indiscretions may emerge?  As such, I resign my post as Minister of Infrastructure.  I will return to Caucus and ensure Cabinet is held to account in an honest and forthright manner.  We owe this to Albertans, as this is the standard which they expect.

– Resignation letter from Minister Peter Guthrie to Premier Danielle Smith