Alleges improper dismissal after collecting information suggesting conflicts of interest and overpayment in connection with medical contracts
Among the allegations in the statement of claim:
- Many figures pressured her to fire various employees for political reasons, including:
- Danielle Smith Chief of Staff Marshall Smith:
- (24)
advised Mentzelopoulos that “powerful people” were upset and angry about the twitter feed of an AHS employee (Nate Pike, an AHS paramedic) who was apparently posting criticism of the Government while on duty. Smith alleged that a complaint and lawsuit were going to be filed against Mr. Pike. Mentzelopoulos asked Smith if he was trying to tell her that AHS had to fire Mr. Pike. Smith replied that Mr. Pike was “your employee” and “you’re going to look very bad” and there would be “consequences”.
- (26/27) discussed the Twitter account “Hansard the Cat” and how PIs, lawyers and “hackers” were being used to discover their identity. Further, that:
Smith told Mentzelopoulos that he “would be taken care of for the rest of his life”, somehow in relation to “Sam”. Mentzelopoulos understood that “Sam” was Mr. Sam Mraiche[…]
- (24)
- (25) Tremblay pressured her to fire employees critical of the government
- (25) Minister LaGrange’s Chief of Staff supported Tremblay’s attempts by sending a screenshot of a tweet one of them had “liked”
- Danielle Smith Chief of Staff Marshall Smith:
- (18/19/20) Marshall Smith told Mentzelopoulos that an individual named Jitendra Prasad “was his guy” and that Prasad had been put in place at Alberta Health to make sure that the Government could “get contracting right” […] Prasad retired briefly from AHS before becoming a contractor for AHS ,then returned as Chief Program Officer, and later
Special Advisor […] but Prasad had an MHCare Medical email address in November 2022 just before the then Minister of Health directed AHS to enter into a contract with MHCare for a $70 million - (34) (Marshall) Smith advised Mentzelopoulos that there were “serious businessmen” who were unhappy with the delays in negotiations […] Smith ended the conversation with a comment that the CSF principals were “serious people – do not mess with them”.
- (43) […] AHS had purchased approximately $614 million in supplies and services from MHCare and other companies affiliated with Sam Mraiche, including the 2022/2023 contract for children’s ibuprofen/acetaminophen. Mentzelopoulos further learned that the $70 million for purchase of children’s ibuprofen and acetaminophen had been paid upfront, and likely at a significantly increased price, and that AHS had been directed by the then Minister of Health to make the purchase against the recommendation that AHS had specifically provided to the then Minister of Health
- (Other documents later show that Mentzelopoulos’ corporate services VP and CFO Michael Lam wrote to MHCare expecting an answer by Jan. 8, 2025 – the date on which she was fired)
Reactions from some of the individuals named in the statement of claim:
- Nate Pike of The Breakdown appears to very recently be under a court injunction from the mentioned filing that happened December 19th, and is unable to comment
- Hansard the Cat acknowledges their 15 minutes of fame
Breakdown Update – February 16, 2025#abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ahDBBTqOWv
— The Breakdown (@TheBreakdownAB) February 17, 2025
Hey @ABDanielleSmith , it’s probably time to start listening to your staff. The point has come that we have to hide behind a Cat b/c your Chief has created such a hostile and intimidating work environment.
— Hansard the Cat (@theablegcat) August 22, 2024
I'm famous…….
— Hansard the Cat (@theablegcat) February 13, 2025