Latest news with #SamMraiche
Edmonton Journal
27-07-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
MHCare renews calls for government to release AHS procurement investigation
Edmonton-based MHCare Medical Corporation renewed its call this week for the government to release an external audit report initiated by the since-fired head of Alberta Health Services (AHS) that it believes could exonerate the company and its CEO Sam Mraiche. Article content In a news release, MHCare says its lawyers have new questions about the audit which it claims was provided to former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos before she was fired in early January. Article content Article content Article content The following month, Mentzelopoulos launched a $1.7-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit, claiming she was fired after she investigated health procurement practices and contracts for private surgical facilities. Article content Article content Her lawsuit does not list MHCare as defendant, though it is mentioned in her statement of claim, with the company claiming those those references have resulted in ongoing reputable harm for itself and Mraiche. Article content MHCare's lawyers released copies of correspondence with a government of Alberta lawyer where they repeat their request for the audit to be released, saying it could help clear the company's name or lead it to pursue future litigation. Article content 'This information in particular is important for our client to obtain as they expect evidence and information to be available that will support a lawsuit against other currently unknown third parties, or will support our client's defence to any potential lawsuits against them,' the July 10 letter reads. Article content Article content It poses six questions to the government's lawyer, asking why a Toronto-led law firm and private investigator were chosen to lead the audit as well as additional queries around the cost and mandate of that audit. Article content It adds that details from the audit could be used by MHCare staff in potential questioning as part of ongoing investigations by the auditor general and the province's own inquiry led by retired Manitoba chief judge Raymond Wyant. Article content Wyant's was scheduled to report back this past spring but his initial report is now due Sept. 24 ahead of the final report on Oct. 15. The RCMP is also investigating. Article content On July 16, the government lawyer replied to MHCare's letter, saying the report could not be released as it was subject to legal privilege. Article content 'I am not in a position to respond to the various questions in your letter as they involve specific matters relating to the litigation and are subject to various privileges as well as the deemed undertaking under the rules,' the correspondence released by MHCare reads.
Calgary Herald
27-07-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
MHCare renews calls for government to release AHS procurement investigation
Edmonton-based MHCare Medical Corporation renewed its call this week for the government to release an external audit report initiated by the since-fired head of Alberta Health Services (AHS) that it believes could exonerate the company and its CEO Sam Mraiche. Article content In a news release, MHCare says its lawyers have new questions about the audit which it claims was provided to former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos before she was fired in early January. Article content Article content Article content The following month, Mentzelopoulos launched a $1.7-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit, claiming she was fired after she investigated health procurement practices and contracts for private surgical facilities. Article content Article content Her lawsuit does not list MHCare as defendant, though it is mentioned in her statement of claim, with the company claiming those those references have resulted in ongoing reputable harm for itself and Mraiche. Article content MHCare's lawyers released copies of correspondence with a government of Alberta lawyer where they repeat their request for the audit to be released, saying it could help clear the company's name or lead it to pursue future litigation. Article content 'This information in particular is important for our client to obtain as they expect evidence and information to be available that will support a lawsuit against other currently unknown third parties, or will support our client's defence to any potential lawsuits against them,' the July 10 letter reads. Article content Article content It poses six questions to the government's lawyer, asking why a Toronto-led law firm and private investigator were chosen to lead the audit as well as additional queries around the cost and mandate of that audit. Article content It adds that details from the audit could be used by MHCare staff in potential questioning as part of ongoing investigations by the auditor general and the province's own inquiry led by retired Manitoba chief judge Raymond Wyant. Article content Wyant's was scheduled to report back this past spring but his initial report is now due Sept. 24 ahead of the final report on Oct. 15. The RCMP is also investigating. Article content On July 16, the government lawyer replied to MHCare's letter, saying the report could not be released as it was subject to legal privilege. Article content 'I am not in a position to respond to the various questions in your letter as they involve specific matters relating to the litigation and are subject to various privileges as well as the deemed undertaking under the rules,' the correspondence released by MHCare reads.
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Alberta company at the centre of corruption allegations calls for release of audit
Aerial shot of the Alberta legislature on Monday, May 26, 2025. (Cam Wiebe/CTV News Edmonton) An Alberta company swept up in allegations of government corruption says it's being further harmed by the suppression of a report it believes will exonerate them. Medical supply company MHCare Medical is calling on the province's front-line health provider to release an audit into health contracts commissioned by its former chief executive officer. MHCare believes the audit from former Alberta Health Services head Athana Mentzelopoulos may provide concrete proof allegations against its CEO are baseless. Mentzelopoulos is suing Premier Danielle Smith's government for wrongful dismissal, claiming she was fired for looking into questionable, overpriced contracts. MHCare is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, but contracts it had with AHS were part of the examination by a law firm that is referenced in court documents. The province has denied any wrongdoing, arguing in court documents that Mentzelopoulos was fired for poor job performance and for dragging her feet on health-care reforms. The contracts are the focus of three investigations, and MHCare says the repeated delays are unfair as the allegations tarnish their reputation and leave CEO Sam Mraiche with no chance to clear his name. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2025. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alberta company at the centre of corruption allegations calls for release of audit
EDMONTON — An Alberta company swept up in allegations of government corruption says it's being further harmed by the suppression of a report it believes will exonerate them. Medical supply company MHCare Medical is calling on the province's front-line health provider to release an audit into health contracts commissioned by its former chief executive officer. MHCare believes the audit from former Alberta Health Services head Athana Mentzelopoulos may provide concrete proof allegations against its CEO are baseless. Mentzelopoulos is suing Premier Danielle Smith's government for wrongful dismissal, claiming she was fired for looking into questionable, overpriced contracts. MHCare is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, but contracts it had with AHS were part of the examination by a law firm that is referenced in court documents. The province has denied any wrongdoing, arguing in court documents that Mentzelopoulos was fired for poor job performance and for dragging her feet on health-care reforms. The contracts are the focus of three investigations, and MHCare says the repeated delays are unfair as the allegations tarnish their reputation and leave CEO Sam Mraiche with no chance to clear his name. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2025. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
Globe and Mail
26-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
MHCare demands AHS investigation results
A medical supply company in Edmonton is calling on the Alberta government to release a report the business believes could help clear its owner's name, which it argues has been sullied by allegations provincial officials interfered in the health care system to his benefit. MHCare Medical Corp., owned by Sam Mraiche, has asked the province and Alberta Health Services to distribute a report AHS commissioned in the fall of 2024. The health authority, under its former chief executive, hired Borden Ladner Gervais LLP to investigate deals for certain private surgical facilities, including two owned in part by Mr. Mraiche. The examination was later broadened to include MHCare and related entities. Mr. Mraiche and his companies are central to a wrongful dismissal lawsuit from the health authority's former CEO, Athana Mentzelopoulos, alleging government officials inappropriately leaned on her to sign deals she thought favoured private companies. MHCare notes Ms. Mentzelopoulos and AHS both reference the Borden Ladner Gervais investigation in their respective legal filings. MHCare, tied to allegations involving the Alberta government, says it is being unfairly attacked The allegations and political fallout have damaged Mr. Mraiche's reputation, MHCare says in a statement dated June 25 and provided to The Globe and Mail. The company argues the law firm's report could absolve Mr. Mraiche. 'At no point has the law firm's audit been shared with Mr. Mraiche, even though he continues to be subjected to baseless, harmful suggestions of wrongdoing – the accuracy of which, this audit might help to disprove," the statement says. MHCare argues there is no legal obligation to keep the law-firm report secret. MHCare's two-page statement was accompanied by a letter one of the company's lawyers sent the government and AHS, asking for the report. Borden Ladner Gervais, on behalf of the health authority, rejected the request, claiming solicitor-client privilege. Neither Mr. Mraiche nor MHCare are party to Ms. Mentzelopoulos's lawsuit, meaning they cannot file court documents defending themselves. The RCMP, Alberta's Auditor-General, and a retired Manitoba judge selected by Premier Danielle Smith, are conducting separate investigations into Ms. Mentzelopoulos's allegations. Mr. Mraiche's company says it has yet to be interviewed by the Office of the Auditor-General or the former Manitoba judge. 'This situation is profoundly unfair and unacceptable,' MHCare says in the statement. 'It leaves our CEO with no opportunity for public exoneration, even as media reports, innuendo, rumours and political attacks continue to linger.' Neither AHS nor the Premier's Office acknowledged a request for comment late Wednesday. It is unclear whether Borden Ladner Gervais finished its work. The government ordered AHS to halt its probe into private surgical facilities in December. An AHS summary of the law firm's findings, dated Jan. 10 and obtained by The Globe and Mail, says the health authority had not received a draft or final report related to the facilities owned in part by Mr. Mraiche. Borden Ladner Gervais was scheduled to provide AHS with a report into MHCare's historical contracting on Jan. 31. The government, however, dissolved the AHS board that day. AHS and the government deny Ms. Mentzelopoulos's allegations, which she levelled as part of her $1.7-million lawsuit. In response, Alberta alleges she was fired for failing at her job. None of the allegations have been tested in court. MHCare also denies wrongdoing. 'No charge of misconduct against the company or our CEO has ever been made by the province, AHS or law enforcement,' its statement says.
