Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says she will file a statement of defence regarding allegations of government interference in medical contracts and procurement, saying many of the claims are false.
LaGrange made the comments in a Feb. 12 statement, in response to allegations of political interference made by former Alberta Health Services (AHS) chief executive officer Athana Mentzelopoulos.
Mentzelopoulos alleges she was pressured by Alberta government officials to sign new deals for private surgical centres, and that she was removed from her position on Jan. 8 because she had launched an internal investigation into AHS contracts and procurement practices.
Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi has said that, if the allegations are true, it would be “the worst corruption Alberta has ever seen.”…