Fundraiser aims to support former CEO of AHS

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – An online fundraising campaign has been started on behalf of former Alberta Health Services CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos (pictured). As of Sunday evening, the GoFundMe had cleared more than $66,000 of its $100,000 goal in support of Mentzelopoulos’s legal costs.

Mentzelopoulos is involved in a civil suit against Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services. Mentzelopoulos is seeking compensation from the defendants, alleging she was let go for sounding the alarm over various inflated provincial contracts and procurement processes.

Both Alberta Health and AHS have said Mentzelopoulos was chasing scandals without merit and lost sight of or refused to forward the provincial health system overhaul she was meant to be overseeing.

The fundraiser is titled “Medicine Hat Grassroots group for integrity & justice.” On the webpage, a message from the ousted AHS head was posted, thanking those who organized the effort and those who have donated or are thinking of donating.

“I have felt overwhelmed by your support and thoughtfulness,” she said. It’s been decided leftover funds will be donated to charity.

Mentzelopoulos’s lawyer, Dan Scott, told CTV News any money sent his client’s way would “help level the playing field somewhat in terms of the resources the government has engaged to defend against the lawsuit.”

Alberta Health and AHS have hired Bennett Jones LLP and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, respectively.

“The government and AHS have now hired two national law firms (Bennett Jones and Fasken), with the associated expense to the taxpayer, compared to the resources of a single individual,” Scott said.

CTV News reached out to the provincial government for comment regarding the hiring of Bennett Jones LLP and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP in this matter.

The response, issued out of the office of the minister of justice, was, “As this matter is before the courts, we will not be commenting further.”