Marshall Smith, former chief of staff to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, has filed a $12-million defamation lawsuit against former Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos, the Globe and Mail, and an unnamed ex-AHS board member, according to reporting by the Edmonton Journal.
The claim, lodged Wednesday in Edmonton’s Court of King’s Bench, alleges defamatory statements damaged Smith’s reputation, causing emotional distress, depression, and loss of employment opportunities.
Smith, unrelated to the premier, accuses Mentzelopoulos and the Globe of falsely portraying him as a “corrupt” and “bullying” figure involved in criminal activity. The lawsuit follows Mentzelopoulos’s $1.7-million wrongful dismissal suit, filed after her January 8 termination from AHS.
She claims she was fired for investigating procurement irregularities, including chartered surgical facility (CSF) contracts and a $70-million purchase of children’s acetaminophen from Turkey.
In a January letter reported by the Globe, Mentzelopoulos alleged Smith pressured her to approve CSF contracts and raised concerns about Mraiche’s ties to government officials. She also claimed Smith criticized AHS paramedic Nate Pike’s social media activity and warned of “consequences” over CSF delays, citing “serious businessmen.”
Smith’s lawsuit calls these claims “malicious” and “irrelevant,” arguing they mischaracterize his actions to bolster Mentzelopoulos’s narrative, per the Edmonton Journal’s coverage. Smith denies involvement in CSF contract decisions, stating he only relayed staff concerns about delays to Mentzelopoulos.
The lawsuit seeks $5 million for lost income and future earnings, plus removal of a Globe article.
AHS and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange have denied Mentzelopoulos’s allegations.
The RCMP, auditor general, ethics commissioner, and a third-party probe led by Manitoba judge Raymond Wyant are investigating.
Critics, including the Alberta NDP, demand a public inquiry, citing potential political interference. Allegations against Marshall Smith have not been tested in court.