Alberta sends letter of apology to former medical examiner
The Alberta government has issued a letter of apology to Dr. Evan Matshes, a former assistant chief medical examiner, acknowledging that he was “treated unfairly” and that there were no miscarriages of justice resulting from his work. This apology comes after more than a decade since Dr. Matshes launched a $30-million lawsuit against the province, claiming that he had been the target of a smear campaign aimed at damaging his reputation and career.
Dr. Matshes served as Alberta’s assistant chief medical examiner in Calgary from 2010 to 2011. The letter of apology from the provincial justice ministry, dated Feb 14, stated, “Dr. Matshes was treated unfairly in the events of these matters and the government of Alberta regrets the harm done to his reputation.” The letter also retracted allegations that Dr. Matshes’ work as a medical examiner was unreasonable, stating that there were no miscarriages of justice in connection with his work.
Following his resignation in 2011, certain allegations were made against Dr. Matshes, which were later proven to be unfounded. The province acknowledged that these unfounded allegations had unfairly harmed Dr. Matshes’ career and reputation. Internal and external reviews, including those conducted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, dismissed the allegations and confirmed that there were no miscarriages of justice in Dr. Matshes’ work.
In a statement, Dr. Matshes expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment of being unfairly targeted and stated that the quality of his work is beyond reproach. He emphasized his duty as a forensic pathologist to provide reliable medical evidence and defensible opinions. Dr. Matshes highlighted the importance of setting the record straight and expressed satisfaction with the retraction and apology from Alberta Justice.
In 2012, an external panel of three forensic pathologists reviewed some of Dr. Matshes’ work and claimed that his findings in 13 out of 14 cases were “unreasonable.” However, these findings were overturned by an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench justice who ruled that the panel review was unfair to Dr. Matshes. Subsequent reviews, including one led by a retired justice of the Superior Court of Ontario, dismissed the allegations against Dr. Matshes.
Dr. Matshes and the province reached a confidential agreement, the details of which were not publicly disclosed. He is currently working in the United States as the medical director at an independent agency providing forensic pathology services. The province stated that Dr. Matshes would be eligible for employment as a forensic pathologist in Alberta if he chooses to seek such employment.
Dr. Matshes is also involved in a lawsuit against CBC News for a story aired on The Fifth Estate television program in January 2020. The lawsuit alleges defamation of Dr. Matshes and is being aggressively pursued. CBC News stands by its journalism in the story but refrained from commenting further on the ongoing legal matter.
