Athana Mentzelopoulos, the former CEO of Alberta Health Services (AHS), has initiated legal proceedings against the Alberta government, claiming wrongful dismissal. Ms. Mentzelopoulos alleges undue pressure from government officials to sign contracts for private surgical facilities with inflated payment terms. The controversy has prompted Infrastructure Minister Peter Guthrie to call for Health Minister Adriana LaGrange to step aside during ongoing investigations, although Premier Danielle Smith reports that this demand lacks widespread support among the cabinet and caucus.
The government plans to dissolve AHS, replacing it with four specialized organizations to streamline healthcare delivery. Additionally, procurement responsibilities will transition to Alberta Health. The Auditor-General is currently investigating the contracting and procurement processes at both AHS and Alberta Health, focusing on chartered surgical facilities, pain medication for children, and COVID-19 personal protective equipment.
Ms. Mentzelopoulos's lawsuit seeks $1.7 million, representing the earnings she would have secured had her four-year contract not been prematurely terminated after a year. She asserts that her dismissal was influenced by her resistance to signing contracts she deemed financially imprudent. Premier Smith has expressed a desire to thoroughly investigate these allegations but also highlighted the significant financial sum involved in the lawsuit.
"Right now we have allegations, in a statement of claim, asking for a bunch of money – for a payout. And we have to put it into that context," said Premier Danielle Smith.
Premier Smith has emphasized the need for an independent review of the allegations, questioning why some contracts have remained unresolved for extended periods.
“But we also have to ask the questions about why it has taken Alberta Health Services literally years and years and years to finalize some of these contracts that were awarded even before I got into office,” she stated.
“And are they doing it because they don’t support moving to more chartered surgical centres,” she added.
Amidst these developments, Ms. Mentzelopoulos insists on the necessity of removing Minister LaGrange from any decision-making roles related to the file in question.
“But we do agree that we have to make sure that Minister LaGrange is removed from making any decisions around this file,” Ms. Mentzelopoulos asserted.
While Minister Guthrie's demand for LaGrange's removal has not gained significant traction, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides and Advanced Education Minister Rajan Sawhney have expressed disagreement with Guthrie's stance. Meanwhile, Minister LaGrange has indicated her intention to file a statement of defense in response to the allegations.
The Premier has acknowledged that a minister has indeed demanded LaGrange's removal but noted the lack of momentum for this action within the government. She remains focused on addressing the claims made by Ms. Mentzelopoulos and ensuring transparency and accountability within Alberta's healthcare system.
“That’s why it has got to be independent. It has to be overseen by another body,” Premier Smith emphasized.
Despite these pressing issues, Premier Smith's public itinerary does not currently list any planned travel to Washington next week, though she previously mentioned attending the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
