Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has called for an expedited review in response to troubling allegations regarding the procurement and contracting processes of Alberta Health Services (AHS).
“I have read various media stories containing allegations regarding the procurement and contracting processes of AHS. They are troubling allegations and they should be reviewed as quickly as possible,” Smith stated.
To ensure a swift and transparent investigation, Smith announced she will be formally requesting Auditor General Doug Wylie to conduct a review and deliver findings on the matter. She also directed government officials to fully cooperate with any requests from Wylie’s office.
Wylie announced last week he had already started an investigation.
In addition, Smith has requested AHS to complete its internal review as quickly as possible and submit the findings directly to her. While the investigation is ongoing, she confirmed that AHS has paused contracting for the surgical facilities under review.
“As Premier, I was not involved in any wrongdoing. Any insinuation to the contrary is false, baseless and defamatory,” Smith asserted.
AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos was dismissed on January 8 shortly before she was scheduled to meet with the auditor-general to discuss her investigation into AHS contracts and procurement processes.
She alleges her termination was due to probing into questionable contracts, including those with private surgical facilities.
The entire AHS board was fired on January 31, following Mentzelopoulos providing an update on her investigation, which the board recommended taking to the RCMP for scrutiny.
There are allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, and government interference in AHS contract negotiations.
Mentzelopoulos's lawyer sent a letter to AHS alleging she was pressured to sign contracts without proper due diligence, particularly concerning private surgical facilities, say media reports.
Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange's office released a statement denying the allegations, saying the firing of Mentzelopoulos was part of the province's health-care restructuring plan and not due to her investigation into procurement decisions.
The UCP emphasized the changes, including the dismissal of the AHS board and CEO, were part of a broader strategy to refocus the health-care system. They say the restructuring is aimed at improving service delivery, reducing wait times, and enhancing patient care.
Smith reiterated her longstanding concerns about AHS’s performance in delivering timely and quality healthcare to Albertans. She emphasized the need for significant reforms, despite challenges in implementing change.
“There is a widespread and deep-seated resistance to change that we must overcome,” she said. “That’s my goal: better healthcare for all.”
Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi is calling for Smith and others to "step aside" in the wake of controversy at AHS).
...more to come
