NDP Health Critic, Vicki Mowat has asked the Provincial Auditor to conduct a special investigation into processes within the Saskatchewan Health Authority that led the creation of a new Vice-President position for Raynelle Wilson, a former SaskParty candidate. Wilson was recently named Vice-President of Enterprise Initiatives Support.

In a news release, Mowat says “The explanations for Scott Livingstone’s departure have not passed the sniff-test since day one. Now it seems that forcing in partisan operatives to SHA leadership drove Mr. Livingstone out.” Mowat went on to say that “We need an investigation from the auditor to get to the bottom of what happened.”

The NDP stated in the release that the Provincial Auditor has the ability to conduct a special investigation under Section 13 of the Provincial Auditor Act into any matters the auditor deems “important and urgent.”

“The public needs answers – why in the middle of a health crisis did the SaskParty focus on placing a long-time political operative with zero health experience into the top brass of the SHA? No cost was too much – even losing the long-serving, dedicated CEO,” said Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition, Nicole Sarauer. “Now more than ever, we need our government to lead with integrity and transparency, not cronyism and lies. This proves once again that the SaskParty puts politics ahead of public health and people’s lives.”

The NDP also called for the appointment of Wilson to be reversed and the position eliminated pending external investigation.