Pike returns as the RCMP begin a probe about the CorruptCare scandal.

But even in the midst of this story of Corruption and Ethical Fading, more information continues to emerge in relation to Marshall Smith. While these are allegations, Netizens can see the character decline of Marshall Smith from an obscure politician to despot.

Jeremy Appel takes us through the story with a two-part series that discusses allegations of how the University of Calgary Administration staged a brutal ambush of its students in April 2024 who voiced opposition to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The University of Calgary Administration then conspired with Calgary Police Chief, Mark Neufeld, and high ranked UCP Government Officials, to cover up the violence.

“UCalgary Palestine encampment's fate was sealed before a single tent was pitched, documents reveal”, is the first part of the series where Appel discusses the events leading up to the Calgary Police attacking students. While there are reports of people sustaining injury as a result of police conduct, UofC President “[Ed] McCauley boasted that there were “no injuries” from the encampment raid, citing assurances from police.”

>On May 14, law professors from UCalgary and UAlberta wrote an open letter to the presidents of their universities, the Calgary and Edmonton police services, and the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service arguing that the universities and police forces violated the encampment protestors’ Charter rights.

In “How the UCP covered up police violence against the U of C Palestine encampment”, the second part of the series, Appel goes on to discuss correspondence exchanged between “university's executive leadership team, campus security, Calgary police and the provincial government.“ Netizens should review both parts for themselves. I’d suggest that what should draw your attention would be the messages involving Marshall Smith, Calgary Police Chief Neufeld, and Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis.

Some highlights are:

>At 2:50 p.m. on May 13, Neufeld notes that he received a call from Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis, a former Calgary cop, informing him that the province was going to order an investigation from its police watchdog, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), which Neufeld helped establish in 2007. 
>
>According to the chief’s notes, Neufeld told the minister that “it would be helpful if it were done quickly.” 

>At 3:20 p.m., Neufeld logged a phone call with Marshall Smith. According to Neufeld’s notes, Smith assured him that “ASIRT won’t investigate,” but would instead do a preliminary probe to determine if there was “serious injury.”

>Just five months later, in late October, Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness spokesperson Arthur Green announced the result of ASIRT’s "limited scope investigation," which found there were no “serious injuries” at either encampment. 

Other names of interest were raised in the article, but the point is Ellis, Smith, and other high ranked members of the UCP and Provincial Cabinet, are repeatedly alleged to engage in behaviour that is unprincipled and corrupt.

#CorruptCare

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 113

https://globalnews.ca/news/11069826/rcmp-probe-alberta-health-services-allegations/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-breakdown-podcast-nate-pike-alberta-health/

https://www.readtheorchard.org/p/ucalgary-palestine-encampments-fate?triedRedirect=true

https://www.readtheorchard.org/p/how-the-ucp-covered-up-police-violence

From “Bell: Pete Guthrie speaks his mind as he exits Premier Smith's inner circle”, by Rick Bell, a few choice quotes are highlighted of Guthrie about the CorruptCare scandal. From what little came from Bell’s interview, Guthrie suggests that the working environment amongst the cabinet is as bad as expected or worse.

Check out the article yourself, I distilled the Guthrie highlights without Bell’s commentary below.

And, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, Mike Ellis, has fallen into the CorruptCare scandal orbit with “UCP Placed Mraiche Business Partner on Edmonton Police Commission”, by Charles Rusnell. Dr Jayan Nagendran is identified as the Partner in question.

>Nagendran’s police commission appointment drew independent accusations of hypocrisy from both NDP critic Shepherd and Coun. Janz. They pointed out that city council chooses commissioners through an open process that considers hundreds of candidates. Ellis directly appoints candidates with no open competition.

>In 2022, the UCP government changed the provincial Police Act to give itself the power to appoint nearly half of the police commission members in Edmonton and Calgary. The government said it needed to rebalance the commissions, citing concerns about crime and civil disorder in the two cities.
…
>In January, Ellis ordered an investigation into city council’s appointment of two commissioners who had been publicly critical of the Edmonton Police Service. He ordered the investigation after a complaint of bias from then-chief Dale McFee.

-

From Guthrie:

>“I’m just a regular guy, seeing what’s going on and I don’t like what I see,” says Guthrie.
>
>“Something doesn’t sit right with me. It doesn’t pass the smell test, plain and simple. We should have core values and being against corruption should be one of those, right?”
…
>But Guthrie says for weeks he’s been trying to get the provincial cabinet to take the matter seriously.
>
>Guthrie admits he failed.
>
“I can’t sit around a table where a cabinet feels it’s fine that dishonesty and conflict of interest is a normal course of business. I don’t want to be a part of that.
>
>“There is no amount I could speak in that room to change anyone’s mind. That became clear to me.”
…
>He is not saying there is “anything untoward” happening but the man has seen “lapses in procedures and processes going on within government in other areas.”
…
>As we talk, Guthrie mentions a committee of cabinet where he was a member and how they were not provided all the facts to make the decision to fire the AHS board.
…
>“One thing you need to know. They have maintained an even greater stronghold than they had. Significant,” says Guthrie.
>
>“They have 100 per cent say in what’s going on.”

#CorruptCare

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 112

https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/bell-pete-guthrie-speaks-mind-exits-premier-danielle-smith-inner-circle

https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/02/26/UCP-Mraiche-Business-Partner-Edmonton-Police-Commission/

Albertans will look back at those halcyon days when Premier Danielle Smith was plugging for her quaint restaurant and wonder if hindsight was 20/20, and this was just an audition for things to come.

With Mr Peter Guthrie resigning as Infrastructure Minister on principle, I’d suggest that even Guthrie can see what the public has seen from their living rooms, emergency rooms, and hospitals. With conflicts of interest arising out of what seems to be even the floorboards, Albertans cannot trust Smith’s squad with any more public monies. Yet, the UCP appear again to resist even calls from within and without to clean up the conflicts of interest with pantomime courtesy.

In “LaGrange orders rule change to lock in Andre Tremblay as AHS interim CEO”, by Jason Markusoff, Albertans learn that Tremblay was given 3 powerful titles over Healthcare: Deputy Minister of Health, Interim CEO of AHS, and AHS Official Administrator:

>”There's too much concentration of power in one person," said Linquist, editor of the journal Canadian Public Administration.
>
>”There ought to be an interim board, even if it's just a caretaker board of three credible Alberta citizens that the public has confidence in."
>
>This especially holds true, he added, because Tremblay is referred to in the allegations Mentzelopoulos made in her wrongful dismissal lawsuit. Tremblay is not a named defendant in the lawsuit.

At this point, Albertans are clear that the UCP and Smith play their cards close with a very select squad. We’re also collectively looking at this group and realizing that they’re controlling all the major connections and pathways for information. The UCP will set up the third party investigation - not AHS or their lawyers. The UCP will get the Auditor General to investigate - not AHS. The UCP will get the result of the investigation - not you. There’s no way Albertans can accept that CorruptCare is an isolated incident, nor that it involved only a handful of bad seeds.

Back at Post 93, all these players want to say they didn’t do it, and they had no idea. Alberta Innovation, indeed.

Keep Calm, Carry On

Best way to remedy a disaster is to just look over the mess, and to start another one from scratch. One such project would be their “Compassionate Intervention Centres”. Netizens will see a name that has come up repeatedly throughout the CorruptCare scandal. As David Climenhaga notes in “Make no mistake, the UCP’s planned ‘compassionate intervention centres’ will be jails”

>…one doesn’t need to be an expert in addiction treatment to know from the controversy among experts surrounding this long-telegraphed plan – which seems to have been inspired by the premier’s former chief of staff, Marshall Smith – that these are highly tendentious claims.

These centres would be overseen by Mental Health and Addiction Minister, Dan Williams. Again, it’s almost like Alberta cannot find one other qualified soul to take these positions. Except, this time, the UCP want to re-enact the premise for the Mayor of Kingstown. Even the words “Compassionate Intervention Centres” evokes a feeling from George Orwell’s fictional Newspeak: an incredible, abject accomplishment.

Now, in “Danielle Smith Quietly Issued an $11 Billion Loan Guarantee for Alberta’s Biggest Bank. No One Will Say Why.”, by Stephen Magusiak, Albertans are receiving reports that Smith is preparing a lot of money while under a scandal for mishandling a lot of money.

Our doctors and nurses are overworked, understaffed, and lack supplies. Emergency rooms across the province have unbearable wait lists. Some Albertans cannot even expect their Emergency Rooms to even be open.

So…enter Peter Guthrie. He asks his fellow cabinet members to sing the same chorus: Support the Auditor General, and refer all material criminal in nature to the RCMP. He’s not asking for anything special. It’s the equivalent to New York’s See Something, Say Something.

What does he hear in reply? I don’t know.

What do we know? He resigned.

#CorruptCare

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 111

https://dailyhive.com/calgary/premier-danielle-smiths-restaurant-for-sale

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-cabinet-minister-resigns-citing-concerns-over-procurement-1.7467845

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/adriana-lagrange-andre-trembly-alberta-health-services-bylaw-investigation-1.7465173

https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/02/make-no-mistake-the-ucps-planned-compassionate-intervention-centres-will-be-jails/

https://pressprogress.ca/danielle-smith-quietly-issued-an-11-billion-loan-guarantee-for-albertas-biggest-bank-no-one-will-say-why/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_of_Kingstown

Attention begins to turn to Marshall Smith, and his potential dealings with Mental Health and Addictions. From “Braid: Contract scandal has ministers hunting for trouble across Alberta government“, Don Braid would like to think that every minister will wonder if they’ve got Mraiche and company in the closets somewhere.

But, Braid also goes on to follow the line from Mentzelopoulos’ claim:

>In her wrongful dismissal claim against the government, former AHS boss Athana Mentzelopoulos said she “spoke with the deputy minister of Mental Health and Addictions who told her that his minister, the Honourable Dan Williams, was ‘very concerned’ about the AHS internal investigations and the forensic audit, including the investigation of ‘our good friend JP.’ ”

>(JP was a reference to Jitendra Prasad, who was allegedly involved in contracts.)

>Mentzelopoulos continued: “The Minister (Williams) was apparently concerned that the investigation could lead to potential connections between various government officials and Sam Mraiche and MHCare Medical.”

What those connections may be only time will tell. While we wait, Netizens following along will best prepare with “‘Lakeview Recovery Community’ clearly intended to be showpiece for UCP’s controversial ‘Alberta Recovery Model’”, by David Climenhaga. There, Climenhaga explores how privatization was the focus of the Lakeview Recovery Community in the village of Gunn. The UCP

>“…lavishes many millions of dollars on 11 new recovery camps like the Lakeview Recovery Community, the huge Recovery Alberta agency now being spun off from Alberta Health Services, and the so-called Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence, the addictions war room established to produce research that justifies the government’s one-track approach to addiction treatment.“

Here, one potential highlight is that the Lakeview Recovery Community will be operated by ROSC Solutions Group [ROSC].

>The Chief Executive Officer of ROSC Solutions is Carson McPherson, former CEO of Cedars Cobble Hill, a 75-bed abstinence-based residential addiction treatment centre on Vancouver Island.

McPherson becomes an interesting character when Netizens review a three part series by Euan Thomson. Specifically from Part 2 “Recovery Capitalists 2: Spreading public wealth“:

>The recent budget does little to clarify if these funds are united within the Gunn allocation, but internal government correspondence from October 2022 suggests they are. This means ROSC Solutions Group, a private company registered in Alberta with Carson McPherson and Paul Sobey listed as directors, is receiving $22 million for the Recovery Training Institute and the implementation and operation of TLUs in Alberta, with extensions likely valued at an additional $9 million. (Note: an earlier version indicated McPherson was the 'sole owner' of ROSC Solutions Group rather than one of two listed directors.)

>In summary, three therapeutic community contracts totalling over $70 million have been announced in Alberta. Two have gone to Recovery Capital Conference top sponsors and organizers. As discussed in Part 1, additional sole-source contracts totalling nearly $2 million have gone to conference organizers at Last Door Recovery and provide a separate revenue stream in data privatization.

Further down, the article noted “RSG owner Carson McPherson is an associate of Marshall Smith, Premier Danielle Smith's chief of staff.”

God speed, Albertans.

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 110

https://calgaryherald.com/news/alberta-health-contract-scandal-alberta-government-departments-trouble

https://albertapolitics.ca/2024/08/lakeside-recovery-community-clearly-intended-to-be-showpiece-for-ucps-controversial-alberta-recovery-model/

https://drugdatadecoded.ca/recovery-capitalists-2-public-wealth/

Reports about the suspicious contracts from the AHS/Smith/Mraiche/UCP Boondoggles are raising calls for criminal investigations. From “Impact of those dodgy contracts allegations continues to spread – so, did anyone ever call the cops?”, by David Climenhaga, talks about the AHS Board recommendation to the AHS CEO to refer the matter to the RCMP. A summary of the latest reports on the allegations essentially highlight that multiple components of the UCP Government may be involved with Mraiche in various ways.

Additional details have also been uncovered about the parties behind the Chartered Surgical Facilities negotiating contracts with AHS. According to “Alberta surgical companies with contracts under scrutiny linked to firm that imported children’s pain meds”, by Carrie Tait and Alanna Smith, both CSF applications for Red Deer and Lethbridge are partly owned by Sam Mraiche.

>Corporate records show Mr. Mraiche owns 25 per cent of the voting shares in each of those two numbered companies. Records also show that a business consultant with MHCare, Blayne Iskiw, is listed as a director of those companies, and he and his wife own a firm that controls 12 per cent of the voting shares.

>D’Arcy Durand and Leslie Scheelar, two physicians who own part of Edmonton-based ASG, each control 25.5 per cent of the voting shares in each of the numbered companies. Dr. Durand and Dr. Scheelar, along with Kenneth Hawkins, another doctor with a stake in ASG, are listed as directors.

>The corporate records exclude ownership information for the remaining 12 per cent in each of the numbered companies.

As it turns out, Blayne Iskiw

>… joined MHCare days after leaving his job as AHS’s interim senior program officer for strategic and clinical contracting in the agency’s contract, procurement and supply management division, according to his LinkedIn profile and documents obtained by The Globe.

For Netizens following the story, Premier Smith applauded herself and the UCP for innovating healthcare with Chartered Surgical Facilities. Now, Albertans get to see what this innovation looks like in a disgraceful tabulation of how much the CSFs charge the public for procedures compared to how much AHS would charge.

At this point, with Mraiche and so many others allegedly involved in jockeying for personal advantage, there is no way these Boondoggles can be resolved with internal investigations.

Sam Mraiche stands in the heart of these alleged Boondoggles, and comes before court with unclean hands.

As Dr Paul Parks reported of health workers in general, “The former head of the Alberta Medical Association says Premier Danielle Smith’s latest finger-pointing at the province’s front-line health agency has created a “draconian” chill among workers.” Netizens can clearly make out from the allegations that Smith, Mraiche, and other high ranking UCP officials, have intimated in conversations with AHS Officials that individual employees can and will be targeted. While the alleged threats are vague and behind closed doors, the message is clear: The UCP will come after people.

When did the UCP cross the line? When did they over do it?

When did they forget they weren’t alone?

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 109

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-surgical-companies-with-contracts-under-scrutiny-linked-to/

https://archive.ph/uRwlA

https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/02/impact-of-those-dodgy-contracts-allegations-continues-to-spread-so-did-anyone-ever-call-the-cops/

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/alberta-premier-smiths-blame-on-health-agency-chilling-emergency-doctor

More discussion of the allegations surrounding AHS/Smith/Mriache Boondoggles regarding the Atabay deal, Mraiche’s involvement in transactions with other elements of Alberta Gov, and the silencing of Nate Pike.

In relation to the Atabay contract, according to “Alberta’s health authority demanded medical supplier prove it was fulfilling contract, documents show”, by Alanna Smith and Carrie Tait, the deal fell under scrutiny according to the allegations set out in Mentzelopoulos’ claim. As noted in Post 105 in the discussion of the allegations specifically about Jitendra Prasad, Netizens are aware that there were conflicts of interest that arose out of the contracts.

During the alleged time when some of Prasad’s activities fell under heightened scrutiny, and then further investigation,

>In a letter sent from AHS chief financial officer Michael Lam to MHCare on Dec. 20, a copy of which was obtained by The Globe and Mail, he said the company had been holding $49.2-million of government money for “well over a year” and demanded to know whether MHCare was taking steps to additionally import intravenous acetaminophen.

>Mr. Lam, in his letter addressed to MHCare’s chief operating officer, Keri Shannon, said it was unclear whether the contract was being “performed in accordance with its terms and conditions.” He said a supply agreement signed in July, 2023, required MHCare to initiate the process with Health Canada to import intravenous acetaminophen and keep AHS informed of its progress, including when the first shipment would arrive.

>Health Canada said in a statement to The Globe last week that the agency had not received any proposals from the Alberta government, MHCare or Atabay Pharmaceuticals to import intravenous acetaminophen to the province.

While the article shares that MHCare had its own brief statement about its lack of wrongdoing, what is notable here is the timing of MHCare’s replies.

AHS demands an explanation from MHCare, asking for a reply by Jan 8.

MHCare would eventually reply by Jan 7 to ask for more time.

Mentzelopoulos is fired on Jan 8.

Further, another of Mraiche’s transactions with the UCP and AB GOV was uncovered. As noted in “Mraiche Profited from Quick Sale of Property to UCP Government“, by Charles Russell,

>Alberta land title documents show a numbered company owned by businessman Sam Mraiche purchased a commercial industrial property at 14425 124th Ave. NW in Edmonton for $1.7 million cash on May 27, 2024. That same numbered company sold the property to Alberta Infrastructure on Aug. 26, 2024, for $2 million cash.

…

>It’s not known how the property jumped $300,000 in value in just three months.

While the AHS/Smith/Mraiche/UCP Boondoggles are clearly unfolding before Netizens’ eyes, what is minimally clear is Mraiche has deep access to high ranking officials of the UCP. What information is Miraiche privy to? Should he even have that information?

Worse, with such an ostensibly well connected man in mind, Albertans must now hear that Mraiche has silenced a concerned citizen, Nate Pike, with heavy handed court litigation. Does Mraiche act on his own behalf? Does he act in concert with other parties? I’d suggest that the act of an injunction will bring with it a price Mraiche’s friends are not yet prepared to pay: greater exposure.

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 108

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/alberta-political-web-series-temporarily-shut-down-by-court-order/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-health-authority-ahs-medical-supplier/

https://archive.ph/9608e

https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/02/21/Mraiche-Profited-Quick-Sale-Property-UCP-Government/

As UCP’s Premier Danielle Smith and Adriana LaGrange hold a press statement in a room carefully controlled by staff, Albertans will note that the AHS/Smith/Mraiche Boondoggles are not only offensive due to the Ethical Fading that’s alleged. Albertans are asked to stomach this behaviour in the context of how the Premier may have seen trouble on the horizon with a paper trail, and repeatedly removed Board after Board, and CEO after CEO.

Of course, readers will note that all these maneuvers come at a cost. Albertans ultimately bear all the costs of severance and any other issues that arise - wrongful dismissal or otherwise. But, what’s unfolded with AHS, is only part of a systematic effort to consolidate power to a single point in Alberta. One way to do that appears to be injecting layers upon layers of administration.

What this strategy of power only further emphasizes is the need for a full and public judicial inquiry. Staff in official positions of GOV will be increasingly placed in conflict of interest positions, and they may no longer be able to voice their opinions.

An example of the UCP consolidating power into itself are anecdotes that the UCP and Smith are systematically signalling to municipalities that the province is in control. From “Smith says the province should collect property tax for municipalities; councilors worry it's just another power grab”

>The most common response I received from my small sample was that council members feel like they’re between a rock and a hard place; elected to respond to local issues but feeling the province looking over their shoulders.

Of note, there’s also an anecdote that the AHS/Smith/Mraiche Boondoggles are not just inclusive of the over $600 million dollars frittered to friends of UCP.

>One person said they’ve been told the Alberta government is strapped for cash, thanks to the expenses they’ve incurred with restructuring Alberta Health Services. Their projection says the government is about $7 billion short, and they still have their sights on other projects that will also cost the province a lot of money — like a provincial police force.

With all these Boondoggle costs in mind, Albertans are learning that the UCP power consolidation has a price tag. Now the UCP dangle notions of a $250 Billion dollar “rainy day fund” by 2050. What Albertans should all be worried about is that Dani Smith is introducing yet another layer of management.

>The Heritage Fund Opportunities Corp. is to direct policy for the Heritage Fund, which for the most part will still be managed by the Alberta Investment Management Corp., or AIMCo.

>The new Crown corporation is also mandated to independently manage the investment of new deposits.

Netizens understand all these layers have to be paid. Netizens also can draw the dots: When Danielle Smith says she wants more efficiency, more effectiveness, a Rainy Day Fund, these all sound like improvements to the Social Safety Net. Trouble is, the Net only catches for her.

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 107

https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/02/still-struggling-to-control-damage-from-dodgy-contracts-scandal-danielle-smith-claims-ahs-conspired-to-block-ucp-private-surgery-scheme/

https://womenofabpoli.substack.com/p/smith-says-the-province-should-collect?r=58d79c

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ab-government-politics-heritage-fund-1.7444548

“AHS Scandal: How Tight Is Dale McFee with Sam Mraiche?”, by Charles Russell, raises Ethical Fading concerns of how AB GOV personnel and high ranking officials may be overexposed to lobbying or other private interests. Broadly, netizens will also wonder how such relationships factor into the decisions of the Edmonton Police Service.

Albertans will recall (CBC article below) that former Provincial Justice Minister Kaycee “Madu was found guilty last year of conduct worthy of sanction over a phone call he made to Edmonton's police chief after receiving a traffic ticket in 2021.” While there certainly were issues with that call, observers will point out there’s a great deal of comfort and access for a person to make that call to begin with.

As the title highlights McFee’s relationship with Sam Mraiche, netizens can pick out that Vince Morelli was also noted a friend of McFee.

>“The Edmonton Police Service and Edmonton Police Commission have confirmed to The Tyee that McFee attended an Oilers playoff game against the Florida Panthers in June.

>But they have refused to confirm or deny if it was as a guest of Sam Mraiche, the founder of MHCare Medical, whose business dealings with the UCP government have generated headlines in Alberta for months.”

The article goes on to highlight a number of examples of MHCare engaged with events or projects associated with the Edmonton Police Service, and by extension, Dale McFee.

>MHCare Medical is a major sponsor of the Edmonton Police Foundation, of which McFee is an ex officio member.

>MHCare also was a major sponsor of the Safety of Our Cities conference in Edmonton in September 2023, for which the Edmonton police, the police foundation and McFee were key supporters.

>A June 13, 2023, news release announcing MHCare as a “presenting sponsor” quotes both Sam Mraiche and McFee.

>“Chief Dale McFee thanks MHCare Medical for its sponsorship,” the release states, adding later that the conference was about the future of policing and McFee said, “We are so pleased to be able to work with our sponsors to bring this discussion forward.”

>McFee appears several times in an MHCare promotional video about the conference, including one segment in which he talks about the opportunities for networking.

Another example of McFee’s high profile associations include Vince Morelli:

>In 2021, the Progress Report reported McFee attended a UCP fundraiser in August 2020 as the guest of his friend Vince Morelli, the president of SafeTracks GPS Canada, a company that sells GPS ankle monitors, including to law enforcement agencies in Alberta.

>Morelli initially told the Progress Report that McFee attended as his guest but later told PressProgress that McFee had his own tickets. The EPS confirmed McFee and his wife attended the event as guests but did not contribute financially to the fundraiser.

For McFee to now join Danielle Smith’s squad, and to be associated with Sam Mraiche in the midst of the AHS/Smith/Mraiche Boondoggles, is fraught timing indeed.

#EthicalFading

#comment

#AbLeg #AbPoli #CdnPoli 106

https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/02/14/AHS-Scandal-How-Tight-Dale-McFee-Sam-Mraiche/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-madu-sanction-1.7448781

The AHS/Smith/Mraiche Boondoggles are messy, so how about we dive in from a different angle out of all these allegations. We’re going to take a peek at this unfolding story from today’s main subject: Jitendra Prasad - middle-man, extraordinaire. Prasad, a man who allegedly wears so many team colours that he falls under extreme pressure; a bit like sitting right in the centre of a fault line between massive tectonic plates. At some point the pressure was so much that he ends up raising suspicion on himself and the contracts he participated in.

With Mentzelopoulos’ claim in mind, both the former CEO, her colleagues, and the AHS Board were so concerned with these contracts that a third party law firm was retained to investigate. Ultimately, and a pillar of the allegations, is that Alberta Health Minister LaGrange fired the CEO, and the AHS Board, and ordered the investigations closed before any results could come out.

Netizens can see some context from “AHS made $28-million prepayment for imported drugs two weeks after telling hospitals not to use them”, by Matthew Black. We learn that back in July 10, 2023, AHS had already issued instructions to cease using Parol brand acetaminophen. Yet, on July 26, 2023, “AHS issued the prepayment for years three, four, and five of the contract it signed in December of 2022 for medication imported from Turkish company Atabay.”

>In its statement, AHS said it was informed at the time that the prepayment was required to secure “favourable pricing, support production adjustments, ensure uninterrupted availability, and enable manufacturer investments to meet Health Canada requirements.”

>It adds, “AHS’ understanding is that MHCare has been awaiting Health Canada approval for these additional products.”

>Applications for drug approvals are tracked in a publicly available Health Canada database, but it contains no entry for either Atabay or MHCare.

What’s alleged in the claim at this time was Jitendra Prasad was the middle-man between Alberta Health, AHS, and MHCare Medical. As noted, Prasad had a

>“…MHCare 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 children’s acetaminophen purchase order and supply agreement, and Prasad may also have been retained or otherwise contracted by persons who were involved with the CSFs and other AHS procurement contracts in and after 2022.”

Prasad’s work history was summarized as bouncing between AHS as an employee or a contractor, and potentially retained or contracted by MHCare and other Chartered Surgical Facilities or all the above possibly.

>”Prasad retired briefly from AHS in April 2022 before becoming a contractor for AHS , and then returned as an AHS employee in the position of Chief Program Officer, and later Special Advisor, for AHS Contracts, Procurement, and Supply Management (“CPSM”) from October 2022 to December 2023, before then being seconded from AHS to Alberta Health…”

By October of 2024, AHS is alerted to media inquiry about the children’s acetaminophen issue, and received media questions about transactions between AHS, MHCare Medical, and other entities associated with Sam Mraiche. Alberta Health directed Mentzelopoulos to refer these questions to Prasad because he “was the person who negotiated the AHS purchase contract for children’s acetaminophen and knew ‘everything’ about the deal.”

What’s alleged is this media interest, and Prasad’s response, would be the canary in the coal mine that accelerated everything.

>“Mentzelopoulos received the proposed reply drafted by Prasad and apparently reviewed by staff in Alberta Health and by the Premier’s Office. The response indicated that AHS did not have any contract with MHCare, and that the children’s ibuprofen / acetaminophen contract had been between AHS and a Turkish company (Atabay Pharmaceuticals), a statement that Mentzelopoulos knew was false.”

Netizens should read the claim for themselves as the details are remarkable. But, by November 2024, an external forensic audit was started by a third party law firm. Even if Mentzelopoulos did not telegraph her moves or share them widely, news of the investigation allegedly spread.

>On December 16, 2024, Mentzelopoulos attended a reception at the AIMCO offices and was approached by Kate White, Deputy Minister of Treasury Board and Finance. Ms. White asked Mentzelopoulos what was going on at Alberta Health and specifically referred to an investigation involving Prasad and “kickbacks” (her phrase). Mentzelopoulos declined to discuss any specifics but was surprised to learn that officials from Treasury Board and Finance knew about the ongoing investigation

Others would approach the former CEO, but the point of these allegations - if proven - is simple: Danielle Smith knew.

#EthicalFading

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https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/alberta-health-services-mhcare-payment

Since last week when news broke of the Smith/Mraiche AHS Boondoggles, netizens received reports of the former AHS CEO’s expected claim for wrongful dismissal.

Now that the claim itself was obtained by news outlets, netizens can join in the action. From Lethbridge News Now, a copy of the claim is available for download and review. I’d suggest giving it a go. But, my read of the claim shares even more chilling details about attacks on Freedom of Speech, alleging that elements of the UCP and Premier Smith had actively targeted members of the public.

As noted earlier, Nate Pike was allegedly targeted by Marshall Smith in relation to Pike’s twitter activity and criticism of the government. But, more disturbing allegations continue in the following paragraphs. Netizens will note that the list of names was not only expanded, but high ranking members of the UCP may be working in concert with a “Sam” to target and/or doxx members of the public. As Mentzelopoulos notes in her claim, the name “Sam” is raised on a number of occasions, and her understanding was this referred to Sam Mraiche:

>This type of call from Smith was not unique, as Mentzelopoulos had previously been pressured by Tremblay (via text message) to terminate purported critics of the Government including Carmelle Steinke, Jeremy Theal, and Sherri Kashuba.

>…Later during the summer, Marshall Smith again spoke to Mentzelopoulos, this time about another twitter feed called “Hansard the Cat” that was apparently critical of the Government. Smith outlined a number of steps, including private detectives, lawyers, and (apparently) hackers, that were being used to discover the identity of the person(s) posting under the “Hansard the Cat” name.

>It was during this conversation that Smith told Mentzelopoulos about “Sam”, who was apparently taking legal action to force disclosure of the identity of “Hansard the Cat”. 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, the principal and CEO of MHCare Medical, who had been the subject of media reports for having allegedly taken various Government Ministers and officials to Oilers hockey playoff games in May and June 2024.

From this claim, the UCP has ethically faded into a rogue criminal organization.

Perhaps instinctively sensing the pure catastrophe of the Smith/Mraiche Boondoggles, Infrastructure Minister Peter Guthrie issues a memo to his cabinet colleagues to refer any criminal matters to the RCMP.

#EthicalFading

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https://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/outrageous-and-false-how-those-named-in-the-ahs-lawsuit-are-responding-to-the-allegations

https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2025/02/13/health-minister-adriana-lagrange-named-in-1-7-million-lawsuit-by-former-ahs-ceo/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/pete-guthrie-cabinet-minister-adriana-lagrange-out-1.7459765

Mentzelopoulos filed her claim, and local news outlets have obtained copies for discussion.

Besides the additional details of the Mraiche/Smith Boondoggles, a few points emerged that raise issues on their own. More details emerge about the names involved in the Boondoggles. They’ll include Sam Mraiche, Jitendra Prasad, Doug Horner, Marshall Smith, Chris Nickerson, Adriana LaGrange, and staff associated with the Premier Danielle Smith’s Office.

The CBC will start us out with “Former AHS CEO's lawsuit alleges pressure to sign private surgery deals she believed were overpriced“, by Jason Markusoff and Julia Wong. The highlights are that, according to the claim, Alberta Surgical Group’s contract was to be renewed at higher rates compared to even other private firms. As already noted, AHS’ negotiating powers were later stripped out in favour of Chris Nickerson, Alberta Health’s assistant deputy minister overseeing acute care.

Netizens have also seen the name Jitendra Prasad involved in the Boondoggles as a high ranking offiicial in AHS procurement who also has ties to the UCP.

The claim also goes on to allege that on Jan 7, Health Minister LaGrange met with the AHS board to personally demand they fire the CEO. When they refused, Andre Tremblay fired Mentzelopoulos by Zoom the next day, and Tremblay ordered AHS staff to cancel a meeting “that same week with the auditor general about the forensic audit and internal review that Mentzelopoulos had told the provincial watchdog about.”

Perhaps this urgency on the part of LaGrange and Tremblay was in part because among the new shady business alleged:

>is that one former AHS employee involved in procurement had subsequently joined MHCare, and then obtained an ownership stake in private surgery clinics proposed in Red Deer and Lethbridge.

>Also, those clinics' leaders did not fully disclose their corporate ownership, "leaving AHS officials in the dark about who owned the remaining 12 per cent interest," the document says.”

Further, ASG’s ties to the UCP run deep, leaving the UCP party itself open to potential exploitation:

>ASG, the lawsuit states, had not won an AHS contracting process that ended in 2022, and yet it had reached a separate two-year agreement with the health agency "potentially as a result of lobbying by the Honourable Doug Horner," a former Alberta finance minister who is registered as a lobbyist for the company.

Premier Smith’s claims that she had no idea what was happening at AHS for the greater part of 2024 beggars belief, and is called into question:

>Her lawsuit details a Sept. 21 call from Marshall Smith inquiring about negotiations on two chartered surgical centres slated for Red Deer and Lethbridge. After she explained the reasons for delays the premier's chief of staff allegedly remarked that the facilities' principals were "serious people — do not mess with them."

Worse still, and perhaps most chilling in terms of Freedom of Speech, former CEO Mentzelopoulos alleges that she got a call from Premier Danielle Smith and/or her Office about an AHS paramedic, Nate Pike. We know from previous posts, Nate Pike is the author of the article “The Hidden Connections in the Skybox Photo”.

>Mentzelopoulos's lawsuit notes that Smith had called her last summer to complain that "powerful people" were angry about an AHS paramedic named Nate Pike, whose webcast and social media account The Breakdown has been critical of the Smith government and who has posted often about the Turkish children's medication situation.

Netizens can expect public criticism toward public figures, like Premier Smith, to be part of the job. But, for the Premier or her staff to track down a netizen to take issue with him or her with an employer is gangster behaviour.

The Calgary Herald’s Don Braid also shares an example in “Braid: Fired AHS boss details heavy pressure, alleged contract padding in $1.7-million lawsuit“

>As she [(Mentzelopoulos)] continued to press the investigation, the suit claims, a member of the AHS board told her to “be very careful” about what she was doing and that she needed to potentially be concerned about her personal safety, “given some of the people potentially involved behind the scenes.”

>Protective Services said she was unlikely to be at physical risk, but warned her that the corporate interests “involved would likely apply political pressure to have her terminated from AHS if she threatened their financial interests.”

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https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/02/athana-mentzelopoulos-files-her-1-7-million-wrongful-dismissal-lawsuit-and-the-stuff-starts-really-hitting-the-fan/

https://calgaryherald.com/news/ahs-athana-mentzelopoulos-lawsuit-alleged-contract-wrongdoing

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/former-ahs-ceo-alleges-wrongful-dismissal-lawsuit-1.7457785

@ginnoi As netizens learn more about the Mraiche/Smith Boondoggle, serious allegations that suggest a cover up was attempted, potentially ensnaring Alberta Health Minister LaGrange, and some of her staff. I’d suggest by extension, this should implicate the Premier’s office, and Premier Smith herself.

“Alberta Minister stripped health agency of power to negotiate private surgical contracts, document shows”, by Carrie Tait and Alanna Smith, discusses an Oct 2024 directive of Health Minister LaGrange to extend Alberta Surgical Group’s contract. Then CEO Mentzelopoulos expressed concern over the rates, which “…would lead to significantly increased costs to AHS – and potentially hundreds of millions in profits for the CSFs owners,’ the letter alleges.”

Chris Nickerson, Alberta Health’s assistant deputy minister overseeing acute care, sends a letter on Dec 23 to CEO Mentzelopoulos:

>“This letter is to advise that the Department will be assuming responsibility for conducting due diligence for the CSF Procurements including due diligence with respect to any selected proponents,” Mr. Nickerson’s two-page letter said. “AHS shall cease any due diligence underway with respect to the CSF Procurements or any selected proponent unless and until further notified.”

>The December letter, again relying on the October directive, ordered AHS to give Alberta Health “all reports, data, or information” necessary for the department to conduct due diligence on the contracts and potential facilities.

>“This includes, without limitation, any findings or reports arising from any investigation or review conducted or initiated by AHS with respect to the CSF Procurements or any of the selected proponents,” the December letter said.

Basically, the Health Minister’s minion, Chris Nickerson, calls for all documents related to Chartered Surgical Facilities (including Alberta Surgical Group), to be turned over to him. Former CEO Mentzelopoulos resists these demands, and is allegedly fired for it.

Health Minister LaGrange throws up the peace offering of a “third party” to help review the situation and report directly back to AB GOV. At this point, such a gesture is a hopeless joke.

Nenshi’s right: Premier Smith show up, and anyone who still has any self-respect in the UCP should offer their resignations.

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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-minister-stripped-health-agency-of-power-to-negotiate-private/

https://archive.ph/URpke

https://bird.makeup/users/nenshi/statuses/1889399634713292891

@ginnoi Concerns are raised about the fairness of an investigation carried out solely by AHS or Alberta Auditor General Doug Wylie. Interesting points are also included here.

“In truculent statement, Danielle Smith denies any responsibility for misconduct at Alberta Health Services by government staff”, by David Climenhaga, reviews Premier Smith’s inadequate response to the Smith/Mraiche Boondoggles. Climenhaga draws comparisons between Smith and former President Nixon.

From CTV News, “Alberta auditor general investigating AHS contracts following firing of CEO”, by Mark Villani, the article reviews the responses from HSAA, AMA, and the NDP. Among these responses, Villani points out AHS had contracts connected with the Smith/Mraiche Boondoggle for up to $614 Million dollars.

Lori Williams also commented on the strong likelihood of conflicts of interest:

> Lori Williams, a political scientist with Mount Royal University, says questions are swirling, in particular, over the timing of Mentzelopoulos’ firing given that she was alleged to have a meeting with the auditor general just two days later.

> “There’s a conflict of interest. The entire AHS board was fired, and we now have everything being done in the health portfolio being run not by a board of independent experts but by the deputy minister of (health),” Williams said.

> “We also have staff working in procurement for the government in health care, also apparently being paid by some of the companies that are supplying goods to the government or to the health system.” Williams noted that attempts to thwart an investigation blocking taxpayers from knowing where their money is spent could also come with major consequences for government trust.

> “The auditor general had an opportunity to come clean and say, ‘Look, we’ve discovered these problems; we’re going to fix them. Instead, they decided to hide what was going on, and now they look like they’re complicit.

Similarly, Climenhaga commented of the Auditor General Doug Wylie:

> Moreover, while he is technically an officer of the Legislature independent of the government, the auditor-general keeps his job of the pleasure of an assembly with an obedient UCP majority. 

> So while there is nothing wrong with asking the auditor-general to investigate, and while there are aspects of the allegations that could be investigated by the police and by the Legislature’s ethics commissioner, as NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi argued Thursday, a judge-led independent inquiry is required to clear the air.

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https://albertapolitics.ca/2025/02/in-truculent-statement-danielle-smith-denies-any-responsibility-for-misconduct-at-alberta-health-services-by-government-staff/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/article/ahs-ceo-fired-amid-probe-into-medical-contracts/