Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is removing her government's deputy health minister but bucking calls for a public inquiry into allegations of government interference in lucrative medical contracts.
Smith says Andre Tremblay is being replaced in the ministry but will continue as head of Alberta Health Services, the province's front-line health agency.
The former head of AHS, Athana Mentzelopoulos, alleges in a lawsuit that she was wrongfully dismissed for looking into questionable contracts pushed by government officials as high up as the premier's office.
The statement of claim alleges Mentzelopoulos was pressured by government officials to sign off on contracts with surgical facilities at unjustified, inflated prices.
The allegations have not been tested in court and a statement of defence has not been filed.
The premier says the government is working to hire an independent third party to help with an internal review is and setting up a "legal conflicts wall" to separate ongoing work of those implicated from the investigation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.