Media allegations about contract and procurement activities at AHS require thorough public investigation

For immediate release: Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025

Allegations in media that Alberta’s United Conservative Government fired the CEO of Alberta Health Services as she was about to meet the Auditor-General to seek a formal investigation into procurement activities and deals for private surgical facilities require a thorough and transparent public inquiry. 

The report published by the Globe and Mail late yesterday states that then-CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos believes she was fired because she had launched an internal investigation and forensic audit of AHS’s procurement processes and investigations.

The report also suggests the AHS Board was fired by the government soon after it recommended to Mentzelopoulos that the RCMP be informed about activities she had uncovered.

"This story contains many deeply serious and troubling allegations that demand a timely and formal investigation with a comprehensive report that is open to the public,” said UNA President Heather Smith. 

“At a time of needless upheaval in Alberta’s health care system that includes an aggressive program of privatizing activities such as surgical procedures that should remain in the public system, we need to consider the message this sends to front-line employees like UNA’s members about the organization they work for and the government that is driving its agenda,” Smith said.

All Albertans deserve to know what has happened, and why it has happened, Smith said. That should include the true cost of the Alberta Surgical initiative, the contract process and who is profiting from this policy.