An Alberta legislature committee has recommended Phillip Peters as the province’s next auditor general, selecting him from within the agency he currently serves as general counsel and ethics officer.
Peters would succeed Doug Wylie on April 29 and immediately inherit an unfinished investigation into multimillion-dollar health contracts. The probe was triggered by allegations of political interference in deals with private surgical providers and health suppliers-claims the government denies.
Wylie had requested a two-year extension to complete the audit but was not retained, a move opposition NDP members argue was politically motivated. Premier Danielle Smith maintains the decision upheld a 50-year tradition of strict eight-year terms.
The appointment process drew criticism from NDP committee member David Shepherd, who cited “significant deviations” from standard hiring practices and claimed more experienced candidates were overlooked. UCP members defended the selection as rigorous and merit-based.
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi expressed confidence Peters will continue the investigation, vowing it “will not get shelved.” The RCMP and a government-appointed judge are also reviewing the matter.
