Airdrie-Cochrane MLA and Infrastructure Minister Peter Guthrie has become the third Alberta cabinet minister to admit he attended an Edmonton Oilers hockey game courtesy of a medical supply and distribution company which was involved in the government's $80-million deal to procure children's pain medication from Turkey in 2022.
Guthrie said at a news conference Oct. 30 he accepted free Oilers playoff tickets and he attended Oilers home games during the team's playoff run last spring as a guest of MHCare Medical, a medical supply and distribution company.
He didn't specify exactly how many games he attended but he says he has no "business or personal relations" with Sam Mraiche, the CEO of MHCare Medical.
The medicine purchased by the province a couple of years ago came from Istanbul-based Atabay Pharmaceuticals. Its arrival was delayed due to regulatory issues and label problems with Health Canada. Hospitals eventually stopped using the medication over safety concerns.
Cabinet ministers accepting free playoff tickets have been the subject of criticism.
Questions have been raised about whether the government and its new, relaxed rules around the acceptance of non-monetary gifts means government officials are open to undue influence.
Non-monetary gifts for Alberta's elected officials used to be capped at $200 and only tickets worth up to $400 per year could be accepted. Now, both items are capped at $500, and the premier's chief of staff can also approve any ticket or gift worth more than that for staff and over $1,000 for an event, conference or meeting.
Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf has said he attended a game as a guest of Mraiche, while Premier Danielle Smith accepted free tickets from Explore Edmonton and Invest Alberta, and Sport Minister Joseph Schow and Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis have also said they attended games but didn't say who provided the tickets. In August, Finance Minister Nate Horner said he attended two games in MHCare’s box.
During the news conference Guthrie didn't specify exactly how many games he attended but he says he has no "business or personal relations" with Sam Mraiche, the CEO of MHCare Medical.
The Eagle reached out to Guthrie on Oct. 30 to ask how many games he’s attended, whether his staff also received any other non-monetary gifts from MHCare, and for further clarifications. As of deadline Nov. 4 no response had been received.
-With files from The Canadian Press.
