Alberta's Justice Minister has firmly denied any provincial government involvement in the recent, unexpected departure of two senior lawyers from the Edmonton Crown prosecutor's office.
Minister's Firm Denial
Minister of Justice Mickey Amery explicitly told reporters that no one from his office or the broader public service played a role in the decision concerning Chief Crown Prosecutor Scott Niblock and his deputy. The minister attributed the move solely to Elizabeth Wheaton, the career prosecutor recently appointed as the acting head of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS).
"No government involvement whatsoever," Amery stated on Thursday, November 21, 2025. He emphasized that the new acting assistant deputy minister has her own vision for the ACPS and is implementing it.
Unexplained Departures Cause Concern
According to sources, Scott Niblock and assistant chief prosecutor Ryan Abrams were escorted out of their office on November 13, 2025. Alberta Justice has not provided a public explanation for their sudden removal from their positions.
This lack of clarity has raised significant concerns among legal professionals across the province. The Alberta Crown Attorneys' Association released a statement expressing that the unexplained departures have cast a pall over prosecutors. The association is now calling for new employment protections to ensure Crown attorneys cannot be dismissed for what it termed "improper reasons."
Connection to High-Profile Murder Case
Some observers have linked the office shakeup to a controversial high-profile murder prosecution. The case involved a woman accused of murdering an eight-year-old girl in her care.
In September, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) intervened by sending a letter to the then-assistant deputy minister. The police lawyer threatened to release disturbing case details and publicly advocate for a stronger prosecution service if the Crown allowed a plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter to proceed.
Ultimately, the woman was permitted to plead guilty to manslaughter on September 10, though the specific eight-year joint sentence submission allegedly pushed by EPS was not presented. Sentencing is scheduled for February.
When questioned about this case and the potential influence of former EPS chief Dale McFee—who now heads the Alberta public service—Minister Amery stated that McFee had "absolutely nothing to do" with the personnel decisions within the Crown prosecution service.
