Enough is enough - time for change at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

The new evidence that Brian Sinclair was left to vomit in the Health Sciences Emergency Room with no attention is too much. Heads must roll at the WRHA.

Today’s revelations that Brian Sinclair was vomiting in the Emergency Room, but nothing was done, show a level of response that was so negligent that it simply cannot be tolerated. Brain Sinclair paid with his life for the failures of the NDP run health care system and someone must be held accountable for these atrocious shortcomings. It’s time for Drs Brian Postl and Brock Wright to submit their resignations.

We now know that:
Brain Sinclair died after waiting in the Emergency Room for 34 hours without being seen;,
We were told he had not approached the triage desk, and we now know he did, and;
He vomited as a result of his condition, and yet nothing was done.

The whole series of events is completely incomprehensible that it could have happened within our health care system. Yet we had an investigation by the WRHA that failed to reveal several of the most critical facts and concluded there was only a ‘system’ failure.

This was not the first investigation into a death in the Emergency Room. In 2003 when Dorothy Madden died of a heart attack in the waiting room of St. Boniface Hospital's emergency ward, after a six-hour wait a full report was done which was to make sure Emergency Rooms in Winnipeg were working perfectly.

Either the report or the follow through of that report were inadequate since there has been little progress and other deaths such as John Klassen and more reports, but yet conditions in Emergency Rooms in Winnipeg are still inadequate.

The investigation into the death of Brian Sinclair was completely botched by the WRHA and there was an attempt to blame the system and to blame Brian Sinclair for not approaching the triage desk. Enough is enough. For the sort of incompetence we have seen in the WRHA, heads will have to roll.

Premier and WRHA have a credibility gap

September 23, 2008 when Premier Gary Doer was asked in question period about the death of Brian Sinclair he explained what happened this way. "We know that the individual in question was not triaged at the Health Sciences Centre but rather was in a waiting room."

We learned today that Brian Sinclair did go to the triage desk when he came into the Emergency Room at the Health Sciences Centre.

The difference between what we now know from the tapes and what the Premier tried to explain away on Sept 23, 2008 is significant. It creates a credibility gap. What else has Gary Doer said that is misleading?

As to what happened with Brian Sinclair, it is good that Dr. Balachandra has called an inquest into his death. We need to know more about what happened, particularly with the questions raised by these recent tapes

Add to the recent relevations about brown envelopes with money inside being standard practice during the tenure of both Conservative and NDP administrations in Manitoba, and we have to wonder about the extent of real accountability in health care in Manitoba.

For six years now, we have put forward legislation that would require accountability to be a fundamental principle in the delivery of health care in our province. Perhaps we know now why Gary Doer has failed on all occasions to support this legislation which would have implemented one of the major recommendations of the Romanow Commission. It is time to have accountability as a principle, to have accountability in words spoken and accountability in actions taken.

Building a Culture of Peace

Yesterday, at the Forks Market, I participated in the official opening of the Exhibit Building a Culture of Peace. We are now toward the end of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World. But the effort to build a culture of peace is growing and must continue to grow. This is a wonderful exhibit - and it talks not only about what needs to be done internationally, but also about how we can change things at home to foster a culture of peace.

The Congress of Black Women and the Pioneers' Gala

Last night at the Pioneers' Gala, put on by the Manitoba Chapter of the Congress of Black Women, we honoured the contributions of two Canadians, Abraham Shadd and Rosemary Brown. Abraham Shadd played an important role in the Underground Railway which helped to move escaped slaves to freedom in Canada. Rosemary Brown was the first black woman elected to a Legislature in Canada.

In a speech in 1973, Rosemary Brown put it this way: "To be Black and female in a society which is both racist and sexist is to be in the unique position of having nowhere to go but up." Much has changed since 1973, and we now have a Governor General in Canada, Michaelle Jean, who is a black woman. And one day we will have a Premier and a Prime Minister in Canada who is a black woman.

I like Rosemary Brown's turn of phrase for another reason - being in third position, the Manitoba Liberal Party also has nowhere to go but up.

In the top photo, Sheila Shadd, Tracey Shadd Robinson and Katherine Brown pose with prints of Canadian stamps honouring Abraham Shadd and Rosemary Brown. Tracey Shadd Robinson is a great granddaughter of Abraham Shadd. Sheila Shadd is her mother. Katherine Brown is the granddaughter of Rosemary Brown.

The bottom photo features the Chair of the Pioneers' Gala - Dr. June James. Beside her is Selina Beiber who helped with organizing the Gala and presented the Vote of Thanks and the Closing Remarks at the end of the evening.

Roz Prober, Beyond Borders and the need to raise children well

At a recent dinner of the Women's Commission of the Manitoba Liberal Party, Roz Prober spoke eloquently of the action urgently needed to eliminate child pornography. Rox, and the organization she has founded, Beyond Borders, have been champions of the need to end child pornography to protect children and to ensure they will have the best possible chance in life.

In the photo, Roz Prober is in the centre with Sheila Jonasson and my wife Naomi on her right, and with Mary Lou Bourgeois and myself on her left. Shelia and Mary Lou have been active in the Women's Commission for some time and are strong supporters of Roz Prober and her efforts.