Ousted Alberta MLA says premier knew about AHS problems

Independent Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie tabled a number of documents this week that illustrate what provincial officials knew and when they knew it about the AHS procurement scandal. (File)

Newly public documents related to the Alberta Health Services’ (AHS) procurement scandal have laid out a better timeline of what the province knew and when it was informed about the issue.

On Monday, Peter Guthrie, the now-independent Airdrie-Cochrane MLA, tabled a ministerial order from Health Minister Adriana LaGrange as well as communications between him and Danielle Smith’s cabinet and Alberta auditor general Doug Wylie.

The order, dated Jan. 30, shows that LaGrange dismissed all current members of the Alberta Health Services (AHS) board and appointed Andre Tremblay as the official administrator.

It also cancelled the appointments of three other members of Alberta Health.

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The communications Guthrie tabled were sent in February – less than two weeks after LaGrange dismissed the AHS board.

“Considering the mounting allegations, I would like to reiterate my recommendations from cabinet on Tuesday, Feb. 11,” Guthrie wrote in the email to his colleagues.

Those recommendations, according the message, included the completion of and access to a PwC report commissioned by former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos and the full support of cabinet to the auditor general’s investigation.

Guthrie called for the removal of Tremblay as the AHS’ official administrator and advised moving LaGrange to another ministry until the investigation was complete.

He also pushed cabinet to cooperate with the RCMP.

“If any of the information obtained appears to be criminal in nature, all materials must be turned over to the RCMP immediately,” he said.

The letter from Guthrie’s office to Wylie, dated April 25, was also tabled on Monday. In that message, he included a copy of the email he sent to cabinet and emphasized his concerns.

“The day following our cabinet meeting on Feb. 11, the former CEO of AHS Athana Mentzelopoulos filed claim against the Alberta government,” he said.

“I had received no response from the premier’s office regarding my requests brought forward at cabinet the day before.”

On Feb. 12, Mentzelopoulos filed a lawsuit against the province over the termination of her contract on Jan. 8.

Guthrie also said he was following up on his submission from March 7, where he forwarded another bundle of documents to Wylie’s office.

‘More to this story’

That submission, tabled Tuesday, included more letters from Guthrie to Wylie, as well as handwritten notes and a short text message exchange between the MLA and Rob Anderson, the premier’s chief of staff.

Guthrie’s letters to Wylie describe the handwritten notes, accusing the government of misrepresenting facts and a conflict of interest in the investigation.

He also indicated concerns with Justice Minister Mickey Amery’s relationship with MHCare CEO Sam Mraiche and the business owner’s connection to former Edmonton police chief Dale McFee, who is now a deputy minister of the executive council.

“While some members in the room supported my concerns, it was not overwhelming and only a few acknowledged any conflict involving Min. LaGrange,” Guthrie wrote.

In the second letter, Guthrie described the notes he took during a “short-notice” meeting of the health cabinet committee on Jan. 30.

“As the only committee member to vote against the dismissal of the board, I stated: ‘I feel like I am missing something here. And when I’m asked to make a quick decision without all the information available, my instinct is to back off.”

As soon as he voiced those concerns, he said Anderson texted him and told him “probably is more Pete.”

“I feel you need to trust those that are spending hundreds of hours trying to work on this to do their job,” Anderson’s text said.

On Wednesday, Sam Blackett, press secretary with the Office of the Premier, provided a statement:

“MLAs are welcome to share their personal theories and other materials with the Auditor General and Judge Raymond E. Wyant for use in their investigations,” the statement read.

“The Health Minister clearly expressed to Cabinet the relevant reasons for why she felt the need to replace the Board with an official administrator to assist with the final transition of AHS into a hospital service provider.

“Any accusation that staff or the minister withheld information relevant to that decision is absolutely false.”