Danielle Smith Visits Medicine Hat, But Avoids AHS Scandal Questions
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is finally making an appearance in her home riding of Brooks-Medicine Hat, hosting a town hall at Medicine Hat College on March 4. While the visit is framed as an opportunity to address concerns about safety and crime impacting local businesses, it notably avoids any mention of the growing scandal surrounding Alberta Health Services (AHS) and allegations of government interference in health-care contracts.
The town hall, co-hosted by Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright, will take place amid a survey being conducted by their offices, supposedly to gather feedback on crime and homelessness in the city. The results will be shared with municipal, provincial, and federal officials. However, the premier’s silence on the AHS controversy raises questions about her willingness to engage in meaningful accountability.
A Convenient Distraction?
While Smith’s office is focused on crime prevention and business concerns in Medicine Hat, a political firestorm continues to grow around her handling of Alberta’s health system. Allegations surfaced after former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos filed a lawsuit claiming she was wrongfully dismissed for probing government-directed health contracts at inflated prices ”potentially funneling millions in profits to private clinics.
Rather than calling for an independent public inquiry, Smith instead removed Deputy Health Minister Andre Tremblay from his position while allowing him to remain as head of AHS. The NDP and health-care advocates have called for more transparency, but Smith has so far refused, claiming the issue is an internal process within AHS.
Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange have denied any wrongdoing, despite mounting pressure for an independent investigation. LaGrange insists the government will defend itself vigorously against the lawsuit’s claims but has offered little reassurance to Albertans concerned about health-care integrity.
A Familiar Pattern
Smith’s reluctance to face tough questions is nothing new. In past visits to Medicine Hat, she has kept engagements tightly controlled, limiting public access and avoiding direct accountability. This time is no different ”while the town hall may provide a platform for discussing crime, it seems unlikely that Smith will address the more pressing questions surrounding her government’s conduct.
What About Medicine Hat’s Health Care?
Despite the premier’s attempt to steer attention elsewhere, the AHS scandal directly impacts communities like Medicine Hat, where hospital and surgical services have already been strained by previous UCP-led restructuring. If government interference in health contracts is proven, it could mean taxpayers in Medicine Hat and across Alberta have been footing the bill for overpriced, politically motivated deals rather than properly funded public health care.
Will She Face the Music?
The real question for Medicine Hat residents is whether Smith will take responsibility and answer for her government’s actions, or if this town hall is just another PR stunt to dodge the hard questions. While crime and safety are legitimate concerns, they shouldn’t be used as a smokescreen to avoid addressing allegations of corruption at the highest levels of provincial government.
If Smith truly wants to regain public trust, she won’t just listen to business owners concerns she’ll also provide answers about what’s happening behind closed doors at AHS.
