Opinion/Research Archives

2Apr

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Agencies, Government Finances, Health, Opinion/Research, Politics

Chronology of Events- AHS CEO’s Statement of Claim

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 r...

Mentzelopoulos: AHS, Government defence and plaintiff’s reply

2Apr

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Agencies, Budget, Health, Opinion/Research, Politics

Mentzelopoulos: AHS, Government defence and plaintiff’s reply

Note: this post should be read in conjunction with "Smith, LaGrange, Alberta public service face grave test" which examined the Statement of Claim brought by the former President and CEO of Alberta Health Services, Athana Mentzelopoulos against AHS, Adriana LaGrange and the Government of Alberta. In addition a Chronology of Events provides a detailed timeline based on the statements filed at the Court of King's Bench. No allegations have been proven in Court. The full Statement of Claim (SOC) is found below. Government of Alberta (GOA), Adriana LaGrange Statement of Defence (filed 18 March) The statement of defence (SOD) may be found below. Health Minister LaGrange and the Government of Alberta are represented by Bennett Jones LLP (Munaf Mohamed KC). The GOA defence r...

23Mar

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Energy, Environment, Intergovernmental, Opinion/Research

Premier Smith threatens national unity crisis- it’s about distraction

Note to readers: The comments section below is now functioning. Please feel free to comment on any of my scribbling. I would like to hear what you think. It has been a busy week since Mark Carney was elected Liberal Party leader and formed a government. Danielle Smith has used Carney’s recent and rapid rise as Liberal leader to set out conditions (see below) for either the new Liberal PM or a future CPC leader, Pierre Poilievre to meet. All of these demands are rooted in the goals of the oil and gas industry or the Take-Back-Alberta activists now controlling the United Conservative Party. Last week I canvassed Smith’s fusillade at newly sworn in PM Carney of 14 March. This past week she has continued her campaign to force federal political leaders to come on board to in effect ...

Smith pivots- her new scapegoat is Mark Carney

17Mar

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Energy, Environment, Intergovernmental, Opinion/Research, Politics

Smith pivots- her new scapegoat is Mark Carney

Note to readers: The comments section below is now functioning. Please feel free to comment on any of my scribbling. Alberta governments have a history of painting the federal government as a malevolent force. An early and legitimate beef was the lack of control and ownership of natural resources which wasn't rectified until 1930. Readers are familiar with the rise of the Social Credit movement and its five year fight over banking with the Dominion government. The most recent fight since today's skirmishes was the battle over provincial government power over the setting of resource pricing, commonly known as the National Energy Program, It is a canon of Alberta political science that successful premiers fight Ottawa. For an excellent note on western alienation/separatism...

3Mar

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Budget, Capital Spending, Fiscal History, Government Finances, Opinion/Research, Politics

Alberta Budget 2025- deficits return

On 27 February Treasury Board President and Minister of Finance Nate Horner tabled the budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 and as required by law the budget sets out targets for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28. I was privileged to be the guest of NDP MLA for Edmonton-Goldbar, Marlin Schmidt. For over 40-years I have been able to attend budget addresses, work on about 10 budgets while at the Treasury department, and attend half a dozen budget lock-ups while at ATB Financial and the Institute for Public Economics. I have watched the performance of many finance ministers under 9 premiers (excluding the caretaker David Hancock). I note that no finance minister over these 40-years has ever become premier. Notable were Jim Dinning, Doug Horner, Ted Morton, and Travis Toews’ challenges for t...

Smith, LaGrange, Alberta public service face grave test

17Feb

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Agencies, Budget, Government Finances, Health, Opinion/Research, Politics

Smith, LaGrange, Alberta public service face grave test

Updated 18 February 2025 On 5 February 2025, Carrie Tait of the Globe and Mail broke the story of the dismissal of Athana Mentzelopoulos who was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Health Services (AHS). Since that date Ms. Mentzelapoulous has entered a statement of claim at the Court of King's Bench seeking: a. Judgment for pay in lieu of notice in the amount of $583,443.00, less applicable income tax; b. Judgment for bad faith, aggravated, and/or punitive damages, in the amount of $1,116,557.00; c. In the alternative, judgment for damages for breach of contract in the sum currently estimated at $1,700,000.00, less applicable income tax, being the balance of the compensation owed under the Employment Agreement, or such further and other amount as this Honourable Cou...

5Feb

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Agencies, Government Finances, Investment, Opinion/Research, Politics

“Alberta’s New Heritage Fund “

Updated 8 February 2025 On 5 February this post was originally published. I February 2025 the Standing Committee of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund met to hear from the President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance, Nate Horner, his officials, and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation AIMCo, provide a high level overview of the new Heritage Fund. Secondly, the Committee received an update on the second quarter report of the Fund's performance. As a result of this testimony and questions and answers. some of the unanswered questions I had about the Fund "refresh" were clarified. I have made some changes from the original post which are highlighted in bold type. The transcript for the meeting has not been posted b...

19Jan

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Credit Ratings, Economic Data, Energy, Financial Institutions, Intergovernmental, Opinion/Research

Danielle Smith’s Pretext

Updated 20 January 2025. This is an opinion/prediction piece Economic and political winds favourable for Smith Danielle Smith has enjoyed a highly favourable economic backdrop in her first 27 months of her premiership. Oil prices have ranged from a monthly average price of $U.S. 69.95 in November 2024 to a monthly high average price of $85.64 in April 2024 (Cushing, OK WTI Spot Price FOB). This favourable oil price environment has assisted Smith greatly on the fiscal side. In preparing for the May 2023 election, the province’s books were in surplus by a whopping $11.6-billion and the fiscal 2024-25 fiscal year surplus is estimated to be $4.6-billion. The surplus could go much higher with the weakness in the CAD. From October 2022 to December 2024, Alberta’s labour force grew from 2,5...

13Jan

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Agencies, Investment, Opinion/Research

On the Road to AIMCo’s Politicization

Reprinted from The Parkland Institute with permission. On the Road to AIMCo’s Politicization - Parkland Institute Jan 12, 2025 Bob Ascah The Alberta government’s abrupt dismissal of AIMCo’s board and CEO has raised alarms about political interference and the erosion of the corporation’s independence. The subsequent appointment of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper as AIMCo’s chair underscores concerns that the organization is being reshaped to serve partisan interests rather than focusing on its responsibilities to Albertans. Against this backdrop, understanding AIMCo’s evolution, governance challenges, and its politicization becomes more critical than ever. The Establishment of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) Prior to the establishment of AIMCo, the...

28Dec

By Bob AscahNo Comments

Agencies, Financial Institutions, Opinion/Research, Politics

Canada’s Chief Actuary reports on CPP withdrawal

On Friday 20 December, Canada’s Chief Actuary Assia Billig released a report on the withdrawal formula under section 113(2) the Canada Pension Plan Act. Billig emphasized that “throughout this process my office has acted with independence and impartiality. These two factors are foundational elements to my role as the Chief Actuary.” Background The report was requested by a committee of officials representing ministers of finance as a result of the 23 September announcement of the Smith government they would begin an engagement process based on the Lifeworks (consulting actuary) report’s interpretation of section 113(2) (see below). As part of the $7-million pension roll-out, Premier Smith has claimed that Albertans won’t be asked to decide a referendum question without a number. ...