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Alberta MLAs Recommend Phillip Peters as Next Auditor General

The choice puts an internal legal counsel in line to take over the AHS contracting probe.

Overview

  • The legislature's selection committee, which voted Wednesday, recommended Phillip Peters, the OAG's general counsel and ethics officer, to be Alberta's next auditor general on a party-line vote.
  • The recommendation is slated for a legislature vote Thursday before cabinet finalizes the appointment through the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
  • If confirmed, Peters would start April 29 on an eight-year fixed term after the government declined outgoing auditor general Doug Wylie's request for a two-year extension.
  • Peters would take over the watchdog's ongoing probe into alleged corruption in AHS procurement and contracting first raised by former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos, a review that could affect multimillion-dollar health deals.
  • UCP members said the search was exhaustive and endorsed Peters, while NDP MLAs argued more experienced candidates were overlooked and pressed for continuity in the AHS file.