The Decibel - First, the Alberta health scandal. Then the surveillance began

Episode Date: April 27, 2026

It began with a whistle-blower alleging government interference in Alberta Health Services’ contracting process and its connections to a medical supply company, MHCare Medical. Alberta’s government denies the allegations. But soon, the whistle-blower and others – and a Globe reporter who dug into the case – were subject to a campaign of harassment, threats and surveillance. Who was behind it all? Carrie Tait, a Globe reporter in Alberta, explains what it was like for her to be targeted. And Tu Thanh Ha, a long-time Globe staff reporter, explains how he went about reporting on who was involved in the intimidation campaign. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at [e-mail] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 28, 2025 was the first time I had definitive evidence, something was up. Three of my contacts reached out to see if I had called them. But I hadn't. That's a Globe reporter, Carrie Tate. What had happened was something called spoofing, where an imposter pretends to dial from someone else's number. In this case, they were calling as Carrie. Well, with the first one, I was really confused.

I thought maybe it was a delayed message or some wires got crossed. then the second and third reached out almost simultaneously. I knew immediately what had happened. That was a part of an effort to intimidate and harass Carrie. She had been reporting on the connections between an Eminton company called MHCare, the Alberta government, and Alberta Health Services, also known as AHS. First, it was about Alberta cabinet ministers and government officials attending hockey playoff games at a premium arena suite as guests of MHCare.

Its owner is a man named Sam Marech. His company supplied Alberta health services with children's painkillers from Turkey. It was a deal that was criticized as ineffective and costly. Carrie and Globe reporter Alan Smith reported on the fallout from the government firing of the AHS CEO. AHS is the authority that delivers medical care in the province. The first connection was the hockey ticket story, but through the Globes reporting, we found the relationship was deeper and longer lasting than we previously understood. For example, Samarach was connected with the former head of Alberta Health Services procurement during the COVID era. And at the night of the 2023 provincial election, Samarash was in the hotel room with the premier in her inner circle.

He was literally in the room. The spoofing phone calls weren't the only weird thing happening to carry last summer. There were obscure podcasters who were turning out episodes and tweets trying to undermine me and my reporting. There were also anonymous ex-accounts hinting that they were aware of my comings and goings. Eventually it escalated and one posted photos taken of me without my knowledge. So the Globe decided to put a journalist on the case. to document what was happening. Hello, my name is Theranha.

I've been reporting for the Globe and Mail for 32 years. It turned out, Kerry wasn't the only person being pressured as part of this controversy. And the tactics being used weren't those of your typical influencers campaign. When companies and governments try to sway public opinion, they usually rely on methods such as marketing, interview offers or public engagement. Instead, what was unusual but this story is that the tactics consisted of reputational attacks, COVID surveillance, veil threats.

A number of people were also targeted by these attacks, including a Calgary businessman named Sandy Edmund Stone. Our own reporting and the legal actions by Sandy Edmund Stone have pointed towards the same locus. The Edmonton Company, MHCare Medical. I'm Cheryl Sutherland. And this is the decibel from the Globe and Mail. Sandy Edmundstone is a semi-retired investment banker in Alberta. He has brokered oil and gas deals, helped debenture holders thwart a takeover bid,

waged a proxy fight for control of an energy company. Suffice it to say he's used to high-pressure situations. But something strange happened to him on Father's Day last year. That Sunday morning, Sandy Edmund Stone was contacted by someone he had known for years, Tyler Shandrow, who is a former justice minister in Alberta. Tyler Shandrow was in touch because the phone number he didn't recognize had sent him surveillance photos of Sandy Edmund Stone. The photos showed a woman facing a curly-haired man, his back to the camera.

They were accompanied by messages. The messages that came with her photos said, This is your friend, Sandy. If my husband was doing this while I had a baby at home, I'd want to know. when I find his wife's number, she will get this too. Sandy recognized the curly-haired man in the photos. It was him. But the message had some errors.

He wasn't married, but he does have a partner. They have a kid, but not an infant. And the biggest falsehood was the implication that he was cheating on his partner. The woman has not been publicly identified, but she is not Sandy's partner. However, Sandy maintains he was. wasn't being unfaithful. So what was this all about? He has said in court documents that he suspected he was being threatened

because he had recently been a member of a board of Alberta Health Services, also known as AHS. It was during his time on the board that the CEO of AHS, Athena Mencelopoulos, was fired. This was after she had launched an internal probe into the way AHS was doing its procurement. in other words, handing out government contracts. Some of her concerns involved as supplier, MHCare.

After she was fired, she filed a wrongful dismissal lawsuit. In it, she alleges that she was ousted after she wouldn't wind down that probe. The government says it sacked her for failing to implement its agenda. Athena Menzelopoulos set in motion investigations by the RCMP and the provincial Auditor General, after she alleged that officials in Premier Daniel Smith's government put pressure on her to proceed with contracts for certain suppliers. A fan, I'm coming for you. And before I'm done, every little nugget of your pathetic, fraudster, fake, f***, life is going to be on full

display. That's David Wallace. He's a podcaster, but also has a past. He is an Ontario man who, by his own admission, is something like a political mercenary. He describes himself as a dirty tricks operator for hire, someone who is paid to track down people, dig into their personal affairs, to try to discredit them. Because I am a political hitman. I am paid to destroy people or protect them. David wasn't just attacking the AHS CEO. He was also attacking Sandy on his show, calling him a, quote, adulterous scumbag, adding,

I decided that maybe somebody should dig in to Mr. Edminton. So I employed some professionals. Sometimes David would live stream with another podcaster named James Diffiorre. Together, they would talk about AHS, MHCare, and all the people involved in this story, like Sandy and even Carrie. So these two podcasters have suggested on their shows that we, controversy at AHS is part of a conspiracy against MHCare, that it's part of a plot involving the media, political opposition, and others, and all of that to discredit the government

of Premier Daniel Smith and to unseat her. If you're in the circle of the people who plotted to remove the governor of Alberta, a coup, or to frame a supplier and to fame them, then I'm in front. inviting you to step right up and claim a prize. Right around the time of the Calgary Stampede last year, an anonymous ex-account called The Brokedown, mentioned Carrie Tate in a series of posts and threatened to expose her sources. One of them addressed a former political staffer and said,

quote, you must be so exhausted from Stampede. Did you get a chance to see at Carrie Tate? She didn't get out much, end quote. Another one mentioned that Carrie's medication refill was, quote, ready to be picked up, end quote. In the previous weeks, Carrie had picked up a prescription at her pharmacy and lunched with the former political aid at a Mexican restaurant. David Wallace then chimed in on a podcast, asking if the one-time political aide had met with Carrie for tacos. This episode I've titled Backtracking. backstabbing and tacos.

Did you enjoy your tacos? Was it Taco Tuesday at least? But Carrie carried on with her life. I was driving to a family gathering. We knew at that point something was up. I pulled over in Red Deer to check for updates. And that is when I saw the sex account, the broke down, had posted a photo of me while I met.

with someone at a park. I ended up on the phone with one of my editors. We were discussing what to do. At that point, I didn't know if I was being followed. I didn't know if I was leading people to my family. I was worried there would be more. And a couple days later, a photo emerged of me having lunch at the Mexican restaurant. David Wallace denies that he is connected to the Broke Down X account.

On his podcast, he said that someone tipped him about Carrie's meeting with the former aide at a Mexican restaurant. A lawyer representing him and his fellow podcaster, James D. Fiore, said that, quote, the content of the podcasts speak for itself, end quote. Shortly after, the Globe published an article about the intimidation Carrie was facing. Premier Danielle Smith was asked about it on CTV. I condemn it. No one should be harassing anybody, and I don't comment on sock puppet accounts.

I have no idea who's behind it. And so if there's criminal harassment, I hope that the RCMP finds them and punishes them to the full extent of the law. Another person who was being targeted was a former provincial minister under Danielle Smith. His name is Peter Guthrie. The broke-down X account posted that Peter had accepted tickets to Edmonton Oilers games from MHCare, but resigned from cabinet to protest the government's handling of the procurement issue. It chided Peter and his wife, saying they ordered tomahawk steaks and special cocktail, while MHCare hosted them.

This post attacking Peter Guthrie came with a photo of what appeared to be an online receipt from the Edmonton Euler's account of MHCare, and it showed that Peter Guthrie would have been gifted to tickets. That made Haar wonder, how did this account get that photo? I contacted a lawyer representing the company. They denied that they were connected to the anonymous X account. The lawyer told me that the company had now. undertaken or endorsed any, quote, unlawful or unethical, end quote, conduct.

Scott Hutchison, a partner in the Toronto law firm, Henan Hutchison Robitai, said the following on behalf of MH care. So, quote, many competing claims have been made in the public arena that have yet to be subject to proper challenge or judicial scrutiny. We would therefore caution against accepting any such assertions that face value. end quote. When we come back, what Sandy Emmonstone did to identify who masterminded the smears against him. Now I'm indemnified and empowered to go after everybody I want to.

That is what David Wallace said on a podcast on October 22nd of last year. While he calls himself a journalist, he relies on coarse insults, menacing remarks, and allegations with no supporting evidence. Then he dares people to sue him. By November, David Wallace was offering $100,000 for any tips leading to criminal charges against those he targeted in his podcast. If you've got the goods on them, sell them to me. The next day, he addressed Sandy Edmund Stone's partner directly. He referred incorrectly to her as Sandy's wife. Sandy's wife, I'm talking to you.

What better way to get revenge? turn in Sandy, provide evidence, and then you get the hundred grand for Sandy, but think of this. And as for the challenge to sue him, David has been sued in the past. He had acknowledged that he tried to compromise Nahed Nenshi while he was mayor. But Nathenchi didn't take the bait. David alleged that two Calgary developers bankrolled the failed plot.

They sued him. Around the same time, James D'Fiore was sued for claiming on his well. website that another Calgary developer, quote, urinated on items belonging to fixer-turned whistleblower David Wallace, end quote. James DeFiore wasn't able to produce a defense and was ordered to pay $56,000 in damages and costs. David has talked in vague terms about people employing him to look into the AHS procurement controversy. I'm getting paid. I have three employers. I work for financial interest. On another episode, he mentioned hiring, quote, several risk management and private detective agencies to get to the bottom of this, end quote. On November 19th, Premier Danielle Smith

dismissed a question from her former cabinet minister, Peter Guthrie. Peter represents the writing of Airdry Cochran. Here's what the Premier said that day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member from Erdry Cochran had way too many tomahawk steaks and specialty drinks to understand that He was making an error in judgment. I find it astonishing that the Premier would lead credence to an outlet that traffics in harassment and intimidation. It was significant because this language is similar to what has been posted on the broke down X account, been also to the lines of attack on the podcast by David Wallace. A week after, the Premier's Party, the UCP, had its annual general meeting.

David Wallace attended wearing media accreditation. Photos from the Premier's Facebook account included a shot of him walking into the Edmonton venue where it was being held. It was that weekend that Carrie and Globe reporters Tom Cardoso, Mark McKinnon, and Stephanie Chambers published a big investigation that reported on MHCare and its owner Sam Marisha's connections to government officials.

A few days after that, David, while on James D' Fiore's podcast, complained about the story and threatened globe journalists. We're coming for you. This is a blood sport. And I fully intend to have every one of your heads on my fucking wall. For months, Sandy Edmondstone quietly planned his counterstrike through the courts. He has declined to give us an interview, but he has described his actions in an affidavit filed in court.

And it details how a friend of his, tried to figure out who was behind the anonymous X account that was posting about Carrie and orders. The friend opened the password recovery function on X and entered the username the Brokedown and then typed in the phone number that had sent the surveillance photo of Sandy Edmund Stone. The platform responded by requesting the email associated with the account.

The affidavit contended This was proof that the account was connected to the surveillance of Sandy, because when the friend entered a different phone number, X responded with an error message. Sandy's lawyers also asked for a very specific kind of court-sanction measure called Anton Pillar orders. Most people know that the police can get a judge to authorize them to execute a search warrant at somebody's home or office. Anton Pillar orders are similar but for civilians. There are exceptional orders where, a judge allows a plaintiff in a litigation, a civil party to conduct a search of someone's

home or office without prior notice to preserve records. So Sandy Edmund Stone's lawyer got a judge to authorize Anton Pillar orders to seize the laptops and cell phones of David Wallace and James D. Fury. He argued that those measures were necessary because Sandy Edmund Stones is a potential witness in the lawsuit filed by Athana Menzelopoulos, and he was being harassed. The judge granted them those powers. But before David and James' devices could be taken and copied, Sandy had to find out where they lived. He retained a private investigations firm to find the podcasters. But they couldn't find David's current address. Sandy Edmond Stone retained the firm of a former Toronto police detective Tam Bowie.

The private investigators and the lawyers found a clue from an old podcast from 2022. At one point during the podcast, David Wallace was live streaming as he stepped outside and the front porch could be seen briefly. From that, the investigators identified a resident area in Gatino, Quebec. After sticking out the place, they managed to spot him leaving a home. A search order was obtained, and when a person, approached, David initially refused to cooperate. He said that his records could not be disclosed because he was doing unspecified work for a lawyer in Alberta named Brian Ward. The solicitors

who conducted the search also spoke with Brian Ward. He said that his firm had retained David Wallace on behalf of a third-party client. Brian Ward is an Emmington area lawyer who has represented MH care owner Sam MRAH before. On a different call, he would identify himself as general counsel for MHCare. That call was with the publisher of a media website called The Western Standard, along with one of the site's reporters. They had originally been contacted by David Wallace, and another man named Tyler Argue. Tyler is the head of a risk management firm in Calgary. He and David pitched the Western Standard a story. They said they had discovered that an Alberta separatist campaigner was colluding with Kerry and a former Hezbollah sympathizer in a plot

to fabricate evidence against Sam Mareche and overthrow Danielle Smith. The second time Tyler spoke with the Western Standard people, lawyer Brian Ward joined the call along with someone who introduced himself as, quote, one of Sam's right hands, end quote. The Western Standard eventually posted an article on January 16 of this year. It said that David Wallace and Tyler argue never provided evidence to support their claim of a conspiracy. and the publisher of a Western standard, Derek Fielder Brand, told me in an interview that they believed they were being used in a misinformation campaign. Haugh conducted an email interview with Tyler.

He said he stopped working for lawyer Brian Ward on December 24th. Tyler argued told me that David Wallace had hired him last summer, telling him that he was representing a client who was embroiled in the AHS controversy. From time to time, David Wallace would say, a client was a law firm, and at other times he would mention Sam Marash directly. Tyler Ague also denies that his firm had surveilled either Sandy Edmontstone or Carrie Tate. The contents of David and James' devices were copied, and then the devices were returned to them. That material is in the possession of the court-appointed independent solicitors, but has not been

shared with Sandy or his lawyers yet. A judge in Edmonton will hear an application by the two-pointe. podcasters to void the Anton Pillar order and keep their electronic files private. The hearing will also look at an application by Athena Menzelopoulos, the former CEO of AHS, to join the legal action of Sandy Edmonstone to identify who hired David Wallace and James DeFiori. Meanwhile, the AHS CEO's wrongful dismissal case continues. The broke down X account has been suspended. Several of the podcasts have been taken down under a court order.

In his last published podcast, which has since been removed, David said he looked forward to a legal fight with Sandy. You invited the devil right into your home. And Globe reporter Carrie Tate has kept doing what she does. Report on the news. Being targeted is annoying, frustrating, time-consuming, It is designed to erode press freedom to intimidate me and people who talk to reporters. But it hasn't slowed us down.

That's it for today. I'm Cheryl Sutherland. Our associate producer and intern is Emily Conahan. Our producers are Madeline White, Rachel Levy McLaughlin and Mihal Stein. Our editor is David Crosby. Adrian Chung is our senior producer and Angela Pichenza, is our executive editor. Thanks so much for listening.