RCMP launch probe into AHS amid government corruption allegations

Mounties in Alberta have launched an investigation following a complaint regarding Alberta Health Services — the health agency linked to an ongoing government corruption scandal.

No further details have been provided, but the investigation follows the allegations from the agency’s former CEO that there was high-level arm-twisting, possible conflicts of interest and corruption in multimillion-dollar health deals.

Athana Mentzelopoulos is suing the province for wrongful dismissal, saying she was fired in January for looking into the overpays on contracts with private surgical providers.

The $1.7 million lawsuit also claims she was fired by interim AHS president and CEO Andre Tremblay after the AHS board refused to terminate her employment. The board itself was later fired.

Mentzelopoulos also claims she was dismissed Jan. 8, two days before she was scheduled to meet with the auditor general to discuss her discovery.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Alberta’s auditor general and Smith’s government have launched their own probes into the contracts.

Earlier this week, the province selected a former Manitoba judge to be the third-party who will review irregularities in medical contracts. The honourable Raymond E Wyant is to deliver an interim report by the end of May, and a finalized version by June 30.

NDP leader Naheed Nenshi previously called for an RCMP investigation and for all parties named in the allegations, including Smith, Tremblay and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, to step aside during the probes.

Both Smith and LaGrange have denied any wrongdoing. LaGrange has said she plans to file a statement of defence.

Smith has faced pushback from within her own United Conservative caucus, with Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie quitting to sit on the back bench, citing concerns with the ongoing scandal.