This detailed chronology is drawn from the statement of claim by Athana Mentzelopoulos (SOC), statements of defence (SOD) from the Government of Alberta /Adriana LaGrange (GOA) and by Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Mentzelopoulos’s reply to the statements of defence (REP). The chronology should be read in conjunction with Smith, LaGrange, Alberta public service face grave test and Mentzelopoulos: AHS, Government defence and plaintiff’s reply.
This litigation is extraordinarily complex and allegations have not been proven in court. Perceptions differ among the participants and what one says versus what is heard to said may be completely different. The Government and AHS’s narrative focuses on Mentzelopoulos’s failure to lead the reorganization of AHS into Acute Care Alberta. It also rests on the lengthy history of efforts since Mentzelopoulos was hired to procure chartered surgical facilities (CSFs) in Red Deer and Lethbridge. Their defence questions the innuendo and political intrigue in the former CEO’s claims. Mentzelopoulos’s SOC and REP rest on a more detailed account of her dealings with Minister LaGrange, her deputy and ADMs and other government officials. As shown below in the timeline, the SOC and REP source more events and in more detail; than the SODs.
Given the size of legal bills so far, Neuman Thompson and Bennett Jones LLP (which will be borne by Alberta taxpayers unless the Court awards costs to the defendants) are not cheap- and personal costs to Mentzelopoulos, the former AHS CEO is demonstrating enormous courage in standing up to the powerful Alberta state and its legal apparatus.
Legend for References
SOC – Statement of Claim filed by Mentzelopoulos- 12 February 2025
AHS- Statement of Defence filed by AHS- 14 March 2025
GOA- Statement of Defence filed by Province as represented by Adriana LaGrange- 18 March 2025
REP- Reply to Statement of Defence filed by Mentzelopoulos- 20 March 2025
| Chronology of Events Mentzelopoulos: Statements of Claim, Defence, and Reply | ||
| Dates | Event | Reference- paragraph number |
| Jul-21 | AHS issued an RFP for the provision of orthopedic surgery services in Edmonton. | GOA 35 |
| April 2022 | Prasad retired briefly from AHS in April 2022 before becoming a contractor for AHS | SOC 20a |
| 7-Sep-22 | RFP was also issued by AHS on September 7, 2022 and closed on October 13, 2022 for Red Deer CSF | GOA 31c |
| 7-Sep-22 | RFP was issued by AHS on September 7, 2022 and closed on October 13, 2022 for Lethbridge CSF | GOA 31d |
| Nov-22 | Agreement with Alberta Surgical Group (ASG) | GOA 31b |
| Nov-22 | Prasad had an MHCare Medical email address (jprasad@mhcaremedical.com) | SOC 20b; REP 11a |
| 1 Nov 2022 | AHS and ASG enter into 2-year contract for Edmonton CSF to increase surgical capacity | GOA 35 |
| 1 Dec 2022 | Province “took prompt action by issuing a direction to AHS on December 1, 2022 requiring AHS to procure this important medication for Albertans on an expedited basis.” | GOA 32 |
| 1 Dec 2022 | Procurement for children’s medication agreement with MHCare | GOA 31a |
| 18-Jul 2023 | Mandate letter from Smith to LaGrange | https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/bf7f9a42-a807-49b3-8ba3-451ae3bc2d2f/resource/6163feb7-8494-4bfe-a1d8-520631d3968b/download/hlth-mandate-letter-health-2023.pdf |
| 7-Dec-23 | Mentzelopoulos enters into an employment contract with Alberta Health Services | SOC 3a, 15; AHS 7; GOA 6 |
| 11-Dec-23 | Mentzelopoulos and AHS board provided high-level orientation as to the Province’s plans for restructuring of the healthcare system. | GOA 21 |
| 31-Mar-24 | Mentzelopoulos signs “binding Letter of Commitment to move forward with procurement with the proponent for a CSF in Red Deer.” | GOA 44a |
| Early 2024 | Marshall Smith told Mentzelopoulos that an individual named Jitendra Prasad (“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”. | SOC 18 |
| 14-May-24 | Bill 22 Health Statues Amendment Act introduced | GOA 22 |
| June-July 2024 | ||
| 1-Jun-24 | Series of ministerial directives issued on IT, contracting and procurement, AHS organizational structure issued by Minister LaGrange. | GOA 23 |
| June 2024 | Conversation between Marshall Smith and AHS CEO. Mentzelopoulo advises Smith AHS contract was set to expire 31 October 2024 with Smith replying on 24 June 2024 “OK – I’m good” | GOA 55 |
| June 2024 | Mentzelopoulos receives call from Marshall Smith inquiring into why (as he understood it) AHS was “capping” the contract with ASG. | SOC 21 |
| 18-Jul-24 | Carrie Tait of The Globe and Mail reveals tickets provided to Premier Smith and some of her ministers “A government source who was at a different game said Mr. Mraiche’s box was a hot spot during intermission, with ministers and top political staff socializing with others who were either in Mr. Mraiche’s suite or those belonging to other corporations.” | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-premier-minister-accepted-tickets-to-playoff-hockey-games/ |
| 23-Jul-24 | Kelly Cryderman of The Globe and Mail writes opinion piece on $75-million children’s medicine purchase. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-ucp-governments-childrens-medicine-headache-returns-in-full-force/ |
| 26-Jul-24 | Mentzelopoulos emails Trembly, Hedley, Nicole Williams (Chief of Staff to LaGrange) and advises that “ASG was projected to exceed the contract value by almost $3.5 million in billings but was also being projected to not deliver the required number of surgical procedures under its contract with AHS.” | SOC 22 |
| July 2024 | Mentzelopoulos “unexpectedly received a draft agreement from Alberta Health that would have given Alberta Health the right to approve procurement contracts – including contracts for private surgical facilities such as ASG – on behalf of AHS.” She did not sign contract | SOC 23 |
| 1-Jul-24 | Ministerial directives for AHS to commence to be wound up. | GOA 24 |
| 18-Jul-24 | Mandate letter from Premier to LaGrange. | GOA 19 |
| Summer 2024 | Marshall Smith who advised Mentzelopoulos that “powerful people” were upset and angry about the twitter feed of an AHS employee (Nate Pike, an AHS paramedic) | SOC 24; https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/02/27/Breakdown-MHCare-Legal-Battle-Close-Look/ |
| Later in summer | Marshall Smith contacted Mentzelopoulos about twitter feed of “Hansard the Cat” that was critical of the government. | SOC 26, 27 |
| August and September 2024 | ||
| August 2024 | AHS had not developed any alternative plan to provide surgical capacity then being delivered by ASG | GOA 36 |
| August 2024 | Mentzelopoulos advises province she was investigated concerns about extending ASG Edmonton contract | GOA 45a |
| August 2024 | Mentzelopoulos asked by Alberta Health to meet with ASG adding ” Doug Horner was unhappy about ASG services being “capped.” |
SOC 16 |
| 23 Aug-2024 | Menztelopoulos met with ASG officials. ASG alleges they had been told that the current contract would not be binding in terms of pricing and services. | SOC 28 |
| 24 Aug-2024 | Mentzelopoulos advises Province that she was conducting external investigation re. ASG | GOA 37 |
| 29 Aug-2024 | Mentzelopoulos sent a letter to Tremblay outlining the concerns raised by ASG officials and informed him she had completed informal review of the ASG contracts, the ASG contract was expiring 31 October and AHS needed to understaand issues before further negotiations. | SOC 30,31 |
| 16 Sept- 2024 | LaGrange and Mentzelopoulos meet in a Calgary restaurant. She advises LaGrange that AHS reviewing files that had linkages to individuals identified in news stories. Said AHS would manage appropriately this “complex and potentially sensitive matter.” | SOC 33 |
| 21 Sept-2024 | Marshall Smith calls Mentzelopoulos advising her there were “serious businessmen” who were unhappy with the delays in negotiations, and they needed AHS to approve the CSFs in order to secure financing. | SOC 34 |
| October 2024 | ||
| 1 Oct- 2024 | AHS CEO sends draft letter to Hedley entitled “Chartered Surgical Facilities – Recommended Next Steps” The draft letter noted that CSFs are demanding higher pricing than equivalent in AHS or other surgical facilities. Letter includes price comparisons for orthopedic surgical procedures provided by AHS and various private surgical contractors. price comparisons for orthopedic surgical procedures provided by AHS and various private surgical contractors. “There were very significant differences in pricing between Clearpoint (who had recently won a competitive bid process and entered into a 7- year contract with AHS) and pricing proposed by ASG and the Central and South Zone contractors.” | SOC 35, 36 |
| 3 Oct- 2024 | Mentzelopoulos then met with Hedley and Tremblay to recommend a new pricing and a “regulated rate” for the new ASG contract extension and other CFSs based on the October 1, 2024 draft letter. | SOC 37 |
| 4 Oct-2024 | Mentzelopoulos meets with Ray Gilmour, Deputy Minister of Executive Council and senior officials to outline her concerns about the relationship between Prasad and Marshall Smith, and potential conflicts involving Prasad, MHCare, and potentially the CSFs. Gilmour said he “would look into it” but Mentzelopoulos never heard back from Gilmour. | SOC 40 |
| October 2024 | AHS receives media inquiry about purchase of children’s medication with questions about any business AHS had with MHCare Medical and any other companies owned by Sam Mraiche. Inquiry sent to Prasad for answer. Prasad’s draft response was false claiming AHS had no contract with MHCare. “Individuals involved in draft response were put on administrative leave although the administrative leave of one individual employed by Alberta Health was reversed – purportedly at the direction of the Premier’s office.” | SOC 41, 42, |
| 11 Oct 2024 | External investigators (Borden Ladner Gervais) find that AHS had followed “required process” with ASG contract | GOA 40 |
| Oct-24 | Prasad employed by Alberta Health on same day when when LaGrange issued the October 2024 Directive and took over all CSF contract negotiations, including the renewal contract for ASG, and then set specific rates for CSFs that AHS later determined were in excess of the most recently negotiated AHS rates for other CSFs. |
REP 14d |
| Oct-24 | ADM Hedley texts Mentzelopoulos regarding “false and misleading response” prepared by Prasad and including putting Prasad “quietly” on leave, pending connection with Rob Anderson in Premier’s office. | REP 14e |
| 31 Oct 2024 | External investigator confirms no reason not to proceed with ASG | GOA 41 |
| October 2024 | Mentzelopoulos repeatedly told by investigators she had engaged that “no concerns had been identified.” | GOA 45b |
| November 2024 | ||
| October and November 2024 | Province reassigns senior administrators from Alberta Health to AHS to “do work that Plaintiff was supposed to be doing” | GOA 28 |
| early November 2024 | Mentzelopoulos initiates forensic audit by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and disclosed the fact of its investigation and external forensic audit to the Auditor General. Briefing date for meeting with Auditor General eventually set for 10 January 2025. | SOC |
| November 2024 | Minister LaGrange sent a new directive that limited Mentzelopoulos’ financial decision-making authority as CEO. | SOC 46 |
| 12-Nov-24 | Ministerial directive D16-2024 re. Financial Oversight, Controls and Appointments for winding-up activities issued. | GOA 27 |
| 25-Nov-24 | Mentzelopoulos and Board Chair Fong met with Minister LaGrange as part of a weekly briefing. Mentzelopoulos advised LaGrange that work that had started as a narrow review of one CSF contract in September had necessarily been broadened in early November. As such, there were no “hard findings.” | SOC 47 |
| December 2024 | ||
| December 2024 | Mentzelopoulos was “hearing rumours that her employment was in jeopardy because of the ongoing AHS investigation and audit – despite the AHS Board being supportive of those same initiatives.” | SOC 48 |
| 2-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos met with Minister LaGrange and was told she had been on “a different page lately” compared to the Minister. The minister complained that AHS was not moving quickly enough with the refocusing initiatives. At the end of this 2-hour meeting the Minister told Mentzelopoulos that they had not even discussed “the good stuff”, which the Minister then said was “the investigation”. | SOC 49 |
| 2-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos met with LaGrange to discuss the status of the ongoing health care “refocusing” and disaggregation of AHS. At this meeting, LaGrange told Mentzelopoulos that she was happy with the work Mentzelopoulos had been doing at AHS. | REP 9 |
| 9-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos meets with Tremblay with a request for briefing on CSFs.”This was the first and only request of this nature from Tremblay or Alberta Health.” Mentzelopoulos follows up with email to Tremblay and Hedley summarized steps taken since the August 29, 2024 letter and raised the ongoing review of the AHS and MHCare contract for children’s acetaminophen. | SOC 50, 51 |
| 11-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos meets with Tremblay. Tremblay wanted to know when negotiations on the CSFs could resume. Mentzelopoulos advised that AHS was prepared to restart negotiations immediately and said the negotiations on the CSFs would continue to be informed by proper procurement practices and advice. | SOC 52 |
| 12-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos was called by Darren Hedley and advised that Tremblay had briefed Minister LaGrange after the December 11, 2024, meeting, “but the Minister was dismissive of the need to continue the internal investigation.” Mentzelopoulos replied that if the Minister wanted the contracts signed without completing the proper due diligence, then perhaps Hedley or someone at Alberta Health should sign the contracts directly. “Hedley declined that option but advised Mentzelopoulos that the principals behind the CSFs were “calling every day” and the pressure was intense.” | SOC 53 |
| By 12 December | Mentzelopoulos and others within AHS had significant concerns about CSF due diligence issues and possible conflicts of interest by (then former) AHS employees around MHCare. | SOC 54 |
| 13-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos met with Minister LaGrange to discuss the CSFs and the status of the AHS investigation and audit. Later that day, AHS provided Alberta Health with a draft letter that was to be sent to the principals of the Red Deer and Lethbridge CSFs to restart the negotiations. | SOC 55, 56 |
| 13-Dec-24 | At the LaGrange meeting several preliminary but potentially very serious concerns including issues around the involvement of Prasad and another former senior AHS procurement employee with the CSFs. “LaGrange indicated she was not concerned despite the investigations not being completed.” | REP 11a |
| 16-Dec-24 | AHS was advised by Alberta Health that Tsuut’ina Nation had “expressed a desire to the Premier to build a Surgical Centre,” and that “the Premier may have made some commitments to this group so expectation management could be challenging.” | REP 11c |
| 16-Dec-24 | Mentzelopoulos attended a reception at the AIMCO offices and was approached by Kate White, Deputy Minister of Treasury Board and Finance. (Ray Gilmour in late November was appointed interim CEO of AIMCo.) “White asked Mentzelopoulos what was going on at Alberta Health and specifically referred to an investigation involving Prasad and “kickbacks” (White’s phrase).” | SOC 58; https://abpolecon.ca/2024/11/11/alberta-government-finally-decides-to-shake-up-aimco-is-more-politicization-on-the-agenda/ |
| 19-Dec-24 | Alberta Health advised that Tremblay was meeting to discuss the proposed AHS letter and that the meeting involved the Premier’s office. Alberta Health told Mentzelopoulos that the letter was not approved, and that Alberta Health would be reviewing the matter internally to decide on next steps. That day the CEO updated the AHS board on the investigation and forensic audit including now confirmed and serious concerns around Prasad having an email account with MHCare during at least part of the time he was employed by AHS. A member of the Board also recommended that Mentzelopoulos should consider bringing the matter to the attention of the RCMP. Three Alberta deputies attended that Board meeting. | SOC 59, 60; REP 11d, g, h |
| 20-Dec-24 | AHS sent a letter to MHCare Medical regarding the $70 million supply agreement between AHS and MHCare. Letter requested details of the affiliation between one or more former AHS employees and MHCare in and around November 2022 when the terms of the $70 million purchase order were being negotiated with AHS. | SOC 61 |
| 23-Dec-24 | Minister, Deputy Minister and AHS Board Chair Fong met with termination supported by Fong. For “compassionate reasons, the termination of the Plaintiff was deferred until after Christmas holidays (to January 8th) and, at Ms. Fong’s suggestion, to provide sufficient time for AHS’ legal counsel to prepare a termination letter and related paperwork.” Mentzelopoulos received a letter from Alberta Health Assistant Deputy Minister Chris Nickerson instructing Mentzelopoulos to wind up the internal investigation and transfer all related files to Alberta Health. | GOA 49, SOC 62 |
| January 2025 | ||
| 2-Jan-25 | Mentzelopoulos spoke with the Deputy Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Evan Romanow 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 being a reference to Prasad).” Mentzelopoulos was concerned about how Minister Williams had heard about the internal AHS investigation and was told the information had been shared by “Nicole” in Minister LaGrange’s office. | SOC 63; |
| 2-Jan-25 | Williams was “freaked out because the connections with Metis Nation of Alberta, the builder that they’ve got building the recovery community with MNA, is the same builder with three others. And it’s, it’s connected to Sam as well. And with this Aaron Barner, who’s with Metis Nation of Alberta, who’s there in the pictures at the Oilers game and stuff…So this is the thing that freaks me out. I definitely know Marshall was involved on that side, which you know, then makes me wonder about his integrity, or standing on anything else. If, if I know he, he thought that was, it was almost his idea. Oh, my God. So it potentially does point over.” | REP 11k |
| 6-Jan-25 | Mentzelopoulosa dvises Province that her investigation the Plaintiff provided a letter advising the Province that her investigation had “not drawn any firm conclusions” | GOA 45e |
| 6-Jan-25 | Mentzelopoulos wrote to Assistant Deputy Minister Nickerson to follow up on his letter of December 23, 2024 and confirmed the investigation and audit had been closed down. Mentzelopoulos then advised ADM Nickerson “the volume of materials and the complexity of the investigation had not allowed AHS to draw specific conclusions prior to the investigation and audit being shut down.” AHS did not yet have service agreements for the Central or South zones. CEO advises Nickerson she and AHS officials would be briefing Auditor General on 10 January. “Tremblay later contacted AHS staff and ordered they cancel meeting with Auditor General.” | SOC 65, 66; REP 11l |
| 7-Jan-25 | Minister LaGrange met with the AHS Board of Directors and “demanded” that they terminate Mentzelopoulos, but board refused. | SOC 67 |
| 8-Jan-25 | Mentzelopolous terminated without notice via ZOOM by DM Tremblay, with ED of HRBP and Ability Management in attendance. Fong did not attend. As far as is known to Mentzelopoulos, the AHS Board of Directors had not passed a motion to terminate her employment with AHS, and the Executive Chair (Fong) had not authorized the termination either. | SOC 8, 69 |
| 8-Jan-25 | Mentzelopoulos was terminated as CEO and President of AHS on a “without cause” basis by Deputy Minister of Health Andre Tremblay. LaGrange announcement stated “Her contributions to improving our health care system were important, and we are deeply grateful for all she’s done to advance these efforts.” | REP 2 |
| 10-Jan-25 | Planned meeting with Auditor General did not take place | |
| 20-Jan-25 | Mentzelopoulos sent a demand letter to AHS | REP 11o |
| 29-Jan-25 | AHS reply to demand letter indicated that a committee of board, not including Alberta deputies would be handling letter and the demand letter also sent to Auditor General and Alberta Health | REP 11p |
| 31-Jan-25 | Minster LaGrange then dismissed the AHS Board of Directors, and in particular the Directors who had supported Mentzelopoulos and the AHS investigation and forensic audit initiatives and installed Tremblay as the official Administrator of AHS | SOC 72 |
| 11-Feb-25 | Globe and Mail story quotes LaGrange’s spokeswoman -“It was extremely concerning that no substantive information and documentation had been provided to the government after nearly eight months of requesting it.” | SOC 76 |
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