B.C. hospital cuts 4 B.C. Indigenous health workers' jobs during racism probe

Four unionized Indigenous health and wellness workers were terminated from St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver during a provincial investigation into racism in B.C.'s health-care system, CBC News has learned.

All were Indigenous women.

"Itwas a slap in the face," said Rose McDonald, who isAnishinaabeand one of the workers whose job was cutas part of what Providence Health Carecalleda "program expansion"in response to the province's investigation into racism, launched in July.

Fortwo years, McDonald'sjob includedadvocating for Indigenous patients spiritually, emotionally and physically andstepping in when patients faced racism.

"Displacing our positions like that is doing exactly the opposite of what that [health-care racism] report is suggesting," said McDonald, who also goes by hertraditional name,Miskwa Animikii Ikwe.

McDonald received a letter on Nov. 12 that her position was being "displaced."Four days later, fivenew Indigenous wellness liaison positions were posted to the Providence website. All fivejobs are non-union and require a bachelor of social work to qualify.

Providence,a non-profit organization providing services in partnership withVancouver Coastal Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority, told the CBC that the cuts reflect a restructuringas a response to the Ministry of Health's investigation into racism in B.C's health-care system. It also said it will"upholdthe Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action."

A letter Providence Health provided to the CBC stated: "we take the immediate recommendations from the Ministry of Health and TRCcalls to action very seriously, and are doing everything we can to ensure Indigenous patients receive culturally safe experiences while receiving our services."

Health Minister Adrian Dix told the CBC he was just learning of the situation and would follow up on it when he could.

'Not impressed with the treatment of people'

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, who headedthe province'sinvestigation, was equally surprised.

"I was never briefed thatwas happening, nor did I advise it," she told the CBC.

She said Providence never shared a plan with her, nor an explanation for removing the four Indigenous women from their positions at St. Paul's.

"I'm not very impressed by the way it's been handled in terms of the treatment of people," she said.

She did say her report laid out concern that St. Paul's, a hospital that serves many Indigenous people, did not have enough Indigenous health workers on board and should have more.

"I anticipated thatmight mean additional staff would be needed to be hired," she said.

"It's always a very significant concern when people are displaced from their work, particularly during a pandemic, and particularly in terms of supporting Indigenous people who need support at the point of care," she said.

'It's very recolonizing'

In Turpel-Lafond's report into health-care racism, released Monday, she said "it is important to increase the number of Indigenous health-care workers to enhance cultural safety within the health-care system" and it's criticalthat these work environments are"protected under collective bargaining agreements and labour laws to create safe and discrimination-free environments."

She also said it was a legalresponsibility and obligation of any workplace.

As a unionized employee, McDonaldwas told she could "bump" anotherworkerand take theirposition, but none of the roles available are focused on Indigenous patients and the cultural safety she once provided. Shedoes not have a bachelor of social work and said she is disappointed she could not be "grandfathered in" to the new role.

McDonaldis also concerned that there seems to have been no consultation with patients, the Indigenous community, or her team, whichbuiltrelationships with patients for years.

For another Indigenous woman who also worked as a unionizedIndigenous health and wellness worker for fiveyears at St. Paul's and whose job was also cut the process felt "racist and colonial." The CBC is not naming the womanas she fears it could jeopardize her future employment.

"Having four women losing their positions in the midst of apandemicright now, I really don't see how that is an example of cultural safety or anti-racism,"she said.

"It's almost as if they're acting like we never existed. So it's very recolonizing," she added.

Fighting for women to keep jobs

The union representing the four women, the Hospital Employees' Union, hopesthe women can get their jobs back.

Mike Old, a spokesperson for the union,said Providenceis creating the newpositions under the guise of truth and reconciliation but saidhe doesn't understand why the organizationwouldn't protect a resource it already has.

"They're uniquely placed to provide culturally appropriate direct support services to Indigenous community members in Vancouver, soit's our view that the program needs both [sets of positions]," Old said.

"They know the community and they know what they're doing," he added.