The provincial government is on the defensive after revelations that a former health executive billed taxpayers out of more than $7,000 to get a second opinion from an American clinic.

The Wildrose Party has dug up documents from 2007 that show Michele Lahey, a cancer survivor, went to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota after she had already been told by her doctor here in Alberta that she was cured.

Lahey was the COO of the Edmonton Capital Health region at the time.

The government reimbursed her expenses, which included the cost of the hotel, meals, and thousands of dollars spent on treatment.

On Monday, the conservatives defended the claims saying that they were legitimate and on Tuesday they backed away from that position.

“I have to tell you I was wrong. But I was wrong because I didn't have the information that is now available today. I had a chance to hear of additional information that was provided to the minister and I have to tell you that I am troubled by the activities that appear to have happened at that point in time,” said Deputy Premier, Thomas Lukazsuk.

“Here’s a clear example of a senior official of Capital Health being provided with taxpayer funded queue jumping after receiving, I think, good medical care, by all accounts, here in the province of Alberta so that's a violation of the Canada Health Act, I’m sure of it, and it may in fact be a violation of the criminal code as well,” said NDP Leader Brian Mason.

The province says it would also like to recover the money from Lahey, who now works in the United Kingdom, but the health minister says government lawyers have told them getting it back is unlikely.

“I checked with our legal counsel and unfortunately our legal counsel informs me there’s really no way to recover that money but what I would want Albertans to know is that this isn't 2007 this is 2013 and we have a government and we have a premier that have put in the strongest measures, requirements around transparency and reporting expenses, that you will find anywhere in Canada,” said Fred Horne, Alberta’s Health Minister.

(With files from Chris Epp)