Ron Mattson, one of the four people fired by the health ministry last week, today released a statement saying he's "mystified" by his dismissal.

He said he was questioned during the investigation about the Alzheimer's Drug Therapy Initiative, a $2.4-million contract awarded to the University of Victoria.

Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid has said the investigation had to do with possible conflicts in the awarding of contracts and the sharing of data in ways that did not follow the rules. The ministry has provided details to the RCMP, fired four employees and suspended three more.

The minister did not name the affected employees or the projects related to the investigation. The Tyee reported Sept. 8 that Mattson had been terminated and had been working on the ADTI.

Mattson, who worked 27 years for the province, said the UVic contract was approved not by him, but by senior ministry staff. Nor did he share any data with the researchers, though he was in the process of arranging those approvals. The data was not going to include people's personal information when it was released, he said.

He said he has no conflict of interest and has not been accused of having one, but the ministry's press release implied he did.

"I am shocked that the government would mention conflict of interest, inappropriate contract management and data access and having contacted the RCMP in the same press release in which they announced my dismissal when I have done nothing wrong," he said.

"This is appalling treatment for someone who has faithfully served the Province of BC for 27 years."

Mattson is also a councillor for the municipality of View Royal. The investigation appears to have nothing to do with his role there.

Following is Mattson's complete statement:

I believe the investigation relates to the Alzheimer’s Drug Therapy Initiative and the contract direct awarded to the University of Victoria. That is what I was questioned about.

I do not have a conflict of interest and I have not been accused of being in a conflict of interest.

I have never given out any data to the University under this contract. I was arranging to do so if all required approvals could be obtained. Any data that was to be given out was to be fully anonymized. I never had personal access to any data myself.

I applied for approval to ensure anyone the University wanted to work on the data would be listed as approved.

I did not award the contract. The direct contract award to the University of Victoria of a 2.4 million dollar contract was approved of by senior ministry staff well above my pay grade.

I am mystified by my dismissal. I am shocked that the government would mention conflict of interest, inappropriate contract management and data access and having contacted the RCMP in the same press release in which they announced my dismissal when I have done nothing wrong. This is appalling treatment for someone who has faithfully served the Province of BC for 27 years.

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.