The True Post( Web news)A new controversy has emerged in Alberta politics after Premier Daniel Smith’s former chief of staff, Marshall Smith, was accused of attempting to interfere with Alberta Health Services ( AHS ) contracts.
The allegations emerged in a lawsuit filed by former AHS CEO, Athana Mentzilopoulos, in which she claimed she was wrongfully fired for investigating questionable contracts.
According to Athana Mentzilopoulos’ lawsuit, Marshall Smith and other top government officials pressured her to sign contracts for private surgical facilities, even though the contracts were unreasonably priced and likely to benefit certain individuals. Furthermore, Marshall Smith allegedly lived in a home owned by the sister of a man whose companies had won more than $614 million in government contracts.
Marshall Smith has filed a $12 million lawsuit against Athina Mentzilopoulos and the Globe and Mail newspaper, calling the allegations “baseless and malicious.” He says the allegations have damaged his reputation and caused him mental anguish, disrespect and professional loss.
The allegations have sparked a government review led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Alberta’s auditor general, and a former Manitoba judge. Opposition parties, notably the Alberta NDP, have called for a full public inquiry to ensure all the facts are revealed. Political analysts say the government should immediately launch a judicial inquiry to ensure transparency.
Premier Daniel Smith has rejected the allegations, saying there is a lack of transparency in AHS’s internal operations and that the government is prepared to conduct a full investigation into the matter. However, he has rejected calls for a public inquiry for now.
This case could prove to be a turning point in terms of transparency and accountability in Alberta politics, and given public pressure, the government may sooner or later be forced to launch a full inquiry.
