In its statement of defence, the health authority says former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos was terminated because of her 'own inadequacies' in performing her job.

Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange are being sued for wrongful dismissal by former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos.

Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange filed her statement of defence in an Edmonton court Thursday, saying the former chief executive officer of the provincial health authority was fired because “she couldn’t do her job despite having been given many opportunities to do so.”

Alberta’s health minister has officially fired back against allegations from a former health leader who says she was fired for investigating sweetheart deals, collusion and high-level political arm-twisting.

Alberta’s frontline health agency says it fired its leader earlier this year not because she was investigating corruption but because she was a profound failure at her job.

"Former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulus" was not fired by AHS because she commenced an investigation. She was not fired as part of a conspiracy to stop an investigation," says a statement of defence for LaGrange, Red Deer-North MLA, filed in Edmonton Court of King's Bench on Thursday.