🗳 Investigation into racism, workplace culture at Regina hospitals

MLAs adjourn legislature for winter break, government launches an investigation into alleged racism and workplace culture at Regina hospitals, and a North Battleford councilor faces criminal charge.

December 11, 2024 | Advertise with us

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Good morning!

Here’s The SKoop for Wednesday, December 11:

  • MLAs adjourn legislature for winter break,

  • Government launches investigation into racism, workplace culture at Regina hospitals, and

  • North Battleford city councillor facing a criminal charge.

Today’s Top Stories

MLAs adjourn legislature for winter break

The Saskatchewan Legislature. (Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan/X)

MLAs met in Regina at the legislative building yesterday for the final day of the fall/early-winter session.

Member statements were filled with Christmas and holiday well-wishes and both government and opposition house leaders Tim McLeod and Nicole Sarauer provided remarks on behalf of their caucus and staff.

In a news release marking the end of session, Premier Scott Moe said affordability was the main focus of the session.

"We know affordability continues to be top of mind for many Saskatchewan residents," Moe said. "Which is why our government brought forward The Saskatchewan Affordability Act. It is the fulfillment of the commitment we made during the recent election campaign, and it aims to deliver long-term, sustainable support for all Saskatchewan residents and families."

Three pieces of legislation received Royal Assent including the Saskatchewan Affordability Act and the Carbon Tax Fairness for Families Amendment Act. These were the first two pieces of legislation introduced by the government that will see their affordability campaign promises fulfilled.

The NDP focused their session efforts on tryng to take the provincial gas tax off for six months, taking the PST of children’s clothing, and calling for former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal to to appear at a legislative committee after he breached conflict of interest rules.

At the close of session, Speaker Todd Goudy gave a speech thanking all members for working with him and saying what a privilege it is to serve. He said that he ‘pinches himself’ every day knowing it is his job to serve with such great colleagues, and how impressed a ‘guy from Melfort’ can be friends with the Premier of the province and the opposition leader.

The session ended with the tradition of government and opposition MLAs walking onto the chamber floor and shaking hands.

The house will resume at the call of the Speaker requested by the government. It is likely to resume the first week in March.

Learn more about the great work the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and its members are doing at saskheavy.ca.

Sask. launches review of workplace culture, alleged racism at Regina hospital

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill.

The Saskatchewan government is launching an investigation into workplace culture and alleged racism within Regina hospitals.

The province says two unnamed but "highly respected, experienced medical leaders," one from Ontario and one from Nova Scotia, have been contracted to carry out the independent external review.

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill acknowledged the complaints saying, "Certainly there's been allegations of racism, as one example, in the physician community over the last number of years. Certainly, that's something that we take very seriously." Cockrill stressed that the review is not an investigation of specific physicians but "a review of the entire physician community and culture within the city of Regina."

In November 2023, the NDP highlighted that 11 doctors, all trained in Africa or East Asia, reported racism and discrimination from hospital leadership, ultimately filing a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.

The complaint alleged management gave sought-after teaching shifts exclusively to white doctors.

Shadow Minister of Health Vicki Mowat said, "These concerns need to be taken very seriously and we raised these issues a year ago, and so we need to see swift action when complaints like this are taking place.”

The NDP also raised the issue of creating a nurse’s task force to hear from frontline workers. Their motion to strike a bipartisan committee was defeated in the chamber this week.

Cockrill said efforts to create a "patient-focused task force" with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and other health care unions are already underway. He said, "The people of Saskatchewan have my commitment and this government's commitment, we're going to be engaging directly with those front-line health care workers.”

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North Battleford City Councillor facing a criminal charge

Ross MacAngus (City of North Battleford)

A North Battleford City Councillor is facing a criminal charge. Ross McAngus just began his second term on council.

The City of North Battleford released a statement saying, "Transparency is one of the fundamental core values of the City of North Battleford and city council, and in support of that value, the City of North Battleford would like to advise the public that Councillor Ross MacAngus has been charged with a criminal offence. Section 120(1)(d)(i) of The Cities Act provides that a member of council is disqualified if the member is convicted while in office of an offence punishable by imprisonment for five years or more."

The city noted, "Unless and until there is a criminal conviction, there is no basis to remove the council member from his elected seat on council." The city said it will refrain from commenting further at this time and will respect the judicial process while the matter is prosecuted through court.

The city may consider commenting further once the judicial system has determined an outcome for the charge.

MacAngus was first elected to the city council in 2020 and was re-elected earlier this year. In addition to his political career, he is an archery coach. His passion for archery led him to leadership roles on the executive boards of the Archery Canada Association, the Saskatchewan Archery Association, and the local archery club.

Prior to his election, McAngus was the Community Safety Officer for the city of North Battleford.