HUGE SCOOP by @charlesrusnell
& @jennierussell_. Pre-Bill 30 wheeling and dealing to privatize non-emergency orthopedic care in Edmonton. Details bad. Lock-in contracts, non-unionized staff, monopoly, putative pre-approval by govt., etc. More later. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/private-orthopedic-surgical-alberta-health-1.5678883

What is most outrageous about this is that the Ministry of Health is involved. This basically soils any RFP process. Massively inappropriate for government to fetter its own discretion. Ridiculous and corrupt.

"lobbyists told the surgeons about several discussions with senior government officials, including Shandro, who were described as being strongly supportive of the initial proposal because it meshes with the government's agenda to increase privately delivered health care" WOW

Funny story: I came to Canada in 2002 to study public procurement systems. How naive of me to think systems can protect when people who consider themselves above the law exist. And exist everywhere.

A government with any shred of legality or dignity will not involve itself in any way (not even a nod in agreement) in discussions prior to a public procurement process. Albertans, demand more from your government please.

There is so much to unpack with this story. I can do an entire paper (and thread) on the bad faith attempt to lock successive governments (and therefore, Albertans) into a contract they can't get out of. Vote the UCP out and you are still screwed for decades.

@shandro directed one of the surgeons cooking this up to follow up with his principal advisor Ivan Bernardo. This is truly unbelievable. Putting his top man on the job long before a procurement process is announced. Before the legislation that will enable that process.