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Indigenous Patients Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Indigenous individuals led by Ann Hardy.
- Why: The class action lawsuit alleges mistreatment by hospital staff in hospital’s set up in the 1940’s to treat outbreaks of tuberculosis in the community.
- Where: The statement of claim has been filed against the federal government.
Indigenous patients housed at tuberculosis hospitals constructed specifically for them were subjected to mistreatment that included sexual abuse and experimental treatments, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
The facilities, referred to as “Indian Hospitals”, were constructed in the 1930’s as Canada attempted to deal with outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) among Indigenous people, according to the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at the University of British Columbia.
Ann Hardy, an Indigenous individual who was housed at Edmonton’s Charles Camsell Hospital in 1969, is the lead plaintiff in a $1.1 billion class action lawsuit against the federal government that alleges hospital staff engaged in “widespread and common sexual abuse.”
The Charles Camsell Hospital, which shut its doors in 1996, was the largest hospital in Canada for treating Indigenous people with TB beginning in 1945, reports CTV News.
Patients Abused at Hospitals for Indigenous Patients
Hardy says she was transferred more than 700 kilometres to the hospital after she contracted TB, where she alleges she was sexually abused by hospital staff and witnessed the abuse of other patients.
“The medical staff that would come in that was rooming this child would just pull the curtain across to separate us,” Hardy told CTV News. “I could hear everything that was going on.”
The class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of 31 individuals that were housed at 31 “Indian Hospitals”, which the claim alleges were segregated and “substandard, ill equipped, overcrowded and inadequately staffed.”
Allegations beyond sexual abuse included beatings, food deprivation, physical restraint and forcing patients “to eat their own vomit.” The class action lawsuit also alleges patients were withheld suitable antibiotics that would have allowed them to simply be treated at home.
The allegations have not yet been tested in court.
Canada Attempts to Rectify Past Abuse of Indigenous Communities
As more evidence of the county’s abusive past comes to light, Canada has been taking steps to do more for its Indigenous community. The federal government signed an agreement with the Assembly of First Nations last year to provide federal funding to a child welfare system meant to reduce the number of Indigenous youth in the government’s care.
Indigenous youth have long been overrepresented in the child welfare system as well.
Were you abused while being treated for TB at one of Canada’s Indigenous hospitals? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiffs are represented by Jonathon Ptak of Koskie Minsky LLP
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8 thoughts onIndigenous Patients Abused at Tuberculosis Hospitals, Class Action Lawsuit Alleges
They said my dad had 6 months to live 82 years ago. We was at St boniface hospital for 7 years. Wasn’t allowed out of his bed. For 7 years!!
Yes a lot of abuse went on in Brandon Sanatoriums as well as provincially run TB sanatoriums. Namely Ninette, Manitoba. I am hoping in the future they will be named in a lawsuit
Looking for information for some elders down here as they are asking me regarding the TB Settlement, is there anything or any information you can ass along to me so that I can pass it along to them
Oct 21 , 2022. Not sure but I think you have a type error in article.
Are sure you want people to “ ass “” you ? Maybe fix your spelling error if you want peoples trust and confidence.
I am a survivor of a hospital not listed.Point Edward TB Hospital in Point Edward CB,NS I was abused just like the other indian children in all ways.I still suffer from PTSD. It has ruined my life,kept everything a secret,thinking it was all my fault.I need someone to help me get on a list ,please help me
I am the survivor of Josie Papik who died there in 1961, my name is Wraven Papik. I’d like to speak to someone about this
in 1977 the hospital in Maple Creek, Sask. had demostrated different patient abused in the hospital by several nurses and staff. In the nights they would turn off the lights and it would be dark in the rooms and cold.
I am a survivor and was in the sanitorium called Fort San in Ft Qupelle Saskatchewan. I have experienced abuse much like the residential schools system while being treated for tuberculosis. I would like to know if the above hospital mentioned is one of the hospital in the class action filed by Ann Hardy. I was there somewhere between 1964 -1969.