Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she won’t be shuffling her health minister after another cabinet minister requested it.
“I have full confidence in the health minister to continue her important work in refocusing and reforming our health system,” Smith said in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times.
Infrastructure Minister Peter Guthrie reportedly sent a memo to his cabinet colleagues saying Health Minister Adriana LaGrange and Deputy Health Minister Andre Tremblay should be removed from their positions while an investigation occurs into Alberta Health Services (AHS) contracting practices.
Guthrie’s comments come amid allegations of contract interference at AHS in a lawsuit filed by former AHS president Athana Mentzelopoulos. Mentzelopoulos was fired on Jan. 8.
In her lawsuit, Mentzelopoulos claims she was pressured to sign new deals for private surgical centres. She also says she was fired because she had launched an internal investigation into AHS contracts and procurement practices.
Guthrie’s email reportedly said the RCMP will need to be notified if there are potential concerns of criminal behaviour.
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Smith said in her statement that she’s working with LaGrange and cabinet “to ensure that while these investigations are ongoing that we ensure there are no conflicts between these investigations and those who have been named in the accusations, while also ensuring the work on our health care system reforms continue.”
LaGrange has said she is filing a statement of defence, saying that although some of the allegations warrant investigation, several of them are “clearly false.”
Auditor General Doug Wylie announced on Feb. 6 that he will conduct an investigation into AHS procurement and contracting practices.
”The examination is looking at the effectiveness of management and control processes—including governance and oversight—ensuring value for Albertans while addressing concerns or allegations related to contracting and potential conflicts of interest,” the announcement said.
At a Feb. 14 press conference, NDP Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi called for a full public inquiry into the allegations, and for LaGrange to step down.
”These allegations are so serious the Health Minister needs to do the right thing, the right ethical thing, and resign today. If she fails to resign today, the premier has to fire the minister,” Nenshi said.
He has also called on Smith to step down, saying she either knew about what was happening and is complicit or did not know and is incompetent.
“If these allegations are true, this ranks among the largest scandals ever faced by any government in history Canada,” he said.
Smith said she has directed her ministers to cooperate with the auditor general.
“I am confident he will get to the bottom of the allegations,” she said in her statement.
Smith said her deputy minister of executive council has been directed to find a “credible outside firm” to investigate the matter independently of the government.
“[This is] so we can understand exactly what occurred with regards to the procurement processes in question, whether there was any wrongdoing or ineffective policies, and why it took so many months for AHS to bring any evidence or documentation related to this matter to my Minister’s or my attention” she said.
“I am also working with the health minister and cabinet to ensure that while these investigations are ongoing that we ensure there are no conflicts between these investigations and those who have been named in the accusations, while also ensuring the work on our health care system reforms continue.”
The allegations contained in Mentzelopoulos’s lawsuit have not been tested in court.
The Alberta government has been working on an overhaul of the health-care system that will see AHS transition from a provincial health authority to a hospital service provider. The changes mean health services will be divided into four sectors: acute care, primary care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction.
The province dismissed the AHS board on Jan. 31. It was the second time the board had been removed by Smith’s government.
At that time Tremblay was appointed as the sole administrator to oversee AHS’s transition. He has also temporarily taken over Mentzelopoulos’s role, while retaining his job as deputy health minister
The report will be tabled in the legislation once it is complete, Wylie said. Smith has also asked Wylie to expedite his review and for the results to be sent directly to her.
Nenshi criticized that request, saying the investigation can’t be delivered to those being investigated.
AHS previously told The Epoch Times that the agency is conducting an internal review of Mentzelopoulo’s allegations. It said it has paused awarding contracts to the surgical facilities involved.
The Canadian Press and Carolina Avendano contributed to this report.
