LaGrange expects former CBE trustee to be interviewed for audit

Alberta's education minister says the resignation of a local school trustee reiterates the need for the current review into the Calgary Board of Education's governance and finances.

Lisa Davis announced her departure from the board on Monday, alleging secrecy and undemocratic process.

She was scheduled to meet with auditors that day, but instead handed in her letter of resignation in the presence of theCBE legal council and the provincially appointedauditor.

• 'Final straw': CBE trustee Lisa Davis resigns, alleging secrecy and undemocratic processes

• 'Deeply flawed, undemocratic': CBE trustees at odds over board procedures, governance

"I gave my written resignation andexpressed my reservations about the process in doing so," Davis wrote on Twitter later that day.

In an interview with CBC News, education minister Adriana LaGrange said she hopes Davis will still participate in an interview with the auditors.

"I would expect thatonce Ms.Davis is free to speak, without the constraints of being a trustee for the board, that they will reach out to her and have that interview," she said.

"So thatthey could understandwhat itwas that she wanted to share that she felt she wasn't able to share under the current constraints they were putting on, in terms of legal representation being present while she spoke to the auditors."

LaGrange said Davis' resignation in the midst of the review is "just another example" of why she felt the need to order one in the first place.

"It just seems there's systemic problems within the board and now that there's an actual trustee that is resigning because she doesn't feel she cangive her honest opinion, [it]is quite troubling," she said.

CBC News reached out to the CBE for comment on this story, but they declined.

"The board does not have a comment on the minister's remarks at this time," reads an email sent by CBE media relations.

When LaGrange was asked what she would do if the review came back clean or if it were to saythe board's issues aren't necessarily self-inflictedshe said all she's looking for is an honest review.

"Acomprehensive one. One that really [digs] deep to find out where the managerial or governance issues are," she said. "That's what I'm expecting and I will accept the report when I get it."

The report was originally due back to LaGrange at the end of January, but has since been pushed to mid-February.