Alberta premier shuffles deputy health minister amid corruption allegations [Video]

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith removed her government’s deputy minister of health Wednesday but bucked calls for a public inquiry into allegations of government interference in lucrative medical contracts.

Speaking to media in Calgary for the first time since the allegations surfaced two weeks ago, Smith said Andre Tremblay is being replaced in the health ministry.

However, he is to continue as the head of Alberta Health Services, the province’s front-line health agency.

The Opposition NDP has called for the United Conservative Party government to order a judicial public inquiry to get to the bottom of the scandal.

Asked why she hasn’t ordered an inquiry into the allegations of government interference, Smith spoke instead about holding the health agency to account.

“These are AHS internal processes,” she said. “AHS internal processes have been a bit of a black box to government for some time,” she said.

The former head of AHS, Athana Mentzelopoulos, alleges in a lawsuit filed a week ago that she …