Patricia Bayne, a senior manager of policy and public affairs at Lilly’s Canadian unit, is now part of a nine-member advisory committee formed to sift through recommendations for an Alberta Health Act. And the committee, which was appointed by Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky, will identify policy issues the government needs to address and provide advice on the new legislation. Not everyone likes this idea.

“The concern is that she’s got a vested interest,” NDP Leader Brian Mason tells The Calgary Herald. “It’s a clear conflict and I don’t think the minister should have appointed her. She is clearly a senior official and a registered lobbyist for one of the biggest drug companies in the world.” Bayne, by the way, described by the government as a community member.

However, Zwozdesky (that’s him with the guitar) maintains the appointment is kosher. “I don’t know if you would meet many Albertans at all who are not a lobbyist for something formally or informally,” he tells the paper. “I don’t look at those kinds of things as much as I look at the skills and the attributes and the experience and the worth that people can bring to a discussion.”

He adds that it makes sense to keep some of the people who sat on the former minister’s advisory committee, which issued a report earlier this year on the future of health care. The report recommended the provincial government adopt an Alberta Health Act guiding service delivery, create a patients’ charter of rights and allow patients more choice in medical care.

“This is very big-picture stuff,” he says. “We’re talking about what are the values and principles of health care in the province, not which particular drugs should be available.” The paper was unable to reach Byrne for comment.