Breadcrumb Trail Links
Politics
Article content
Dr. Esther Tailfeathers says the Alberta provincial health authority’s decision to backtrack on hiring Dr. Deena Hinshaw to a new position will negatively impact Indigenous health and demands an explanation.
Tailfeathers resigned as the medical lead of the Indigenous Wellness Core (IWC) of Alberta Health Services (AHS) after the provincial health authority rescinded Hinshaw’s appointment to a role in the IWC in early June.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Article content
Speaking to Postmedia on Friday, Tailfeathers said the decision from higher up has delayed work urgently needed to address the drug poisoning crisis.
“I’m hoping that more people actually speak out, or that at some point it affects an investigation,” she said.
A June 1 memo from Tailfeathers and the IWC’s senior provincial director announcing the appointment that circulated online sparked backlash among Hinshaw’s detractors. Soon after, AHS issued a statement saying “Dr. Hinshaw is not employed by AHS.”
“When they did that, it looked like I was the one who was lying,” said Tailfeathers, adding that her loss of trust in AHS leadership means she will never go back to IWC.
“I think accountability would be the start to truth and reconciliation. We’ve actually stepped back from truth and we’re not going to get to reconciliation until the old-school ‘Indian agent’ thinking is gone,” said Tailfeathers, referring to the historical enforcement of government policy on reserves.
She said the province needs a public health expert to help create a strategy to address the drug poisoning crisis affecting Indigenous people and their communities, but now that work will be delayed by four or five months.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
“Whoever made the decision obviously does not have an idea of how many Indigenous lives are being lost, and without any action on the opioid epidemic, many people will suffer,” she said.
‘It scares physicians’
Smith’s press secretary Sam Blackett offered a short statement in response to Postmedia’s questions about who vetoed the choice of the IWC team and rescinded the job offer.
“Alberta Health Services is responsible for hiring decisions and the government of Alberta does not comment on AHS personnel decisions,” he said.
AHS has also said it does not speak “to personnel matters.”
“AHS remains firmly committed to working with Indigenous communities and will continue to work to provide culturally safe healthcare for all First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples throughout the province,” a statement said.
Tailfeathers said there is lack of Indigenous voices in AHS governance, and when she wasn’t consulted on the Hinshaw decision, she went from believing her advice was respected, to “to finding out that I didn’t matter.”
“I was not able to ask questions, like, ‘Why are you doing this? Why are you creating another barrier which will end up costing lives because people are not going to get the help that they need now?”
Advertisement 4
Article content
Hinshaw rose to the top of a list of candidates considered by a committee because of her experience, her understanding of Indigenous health and the history of Indigenous people, and her credibility among community leaders, Tailfeathers said.
“We did everything per due diligence to find the best person to help us move this strategy forward and to help us save lives, and I have not had a rational answer, nor did I receive one at the time.”
She warned the reversal will also deter physicians from coming to Alberta, leaving shortages and vacancies unfilled at a time when many Albertans lack access to primary care.
“It scares physicians,” she said, saying it’s important they be able to work without the threat of losing their jobs.
Tailfeathers said Dr. Braden Manns, who was her immediate supervisor, resigned as interim vice-president of provincial clinical excellence the same day she left.
Hinshaw was the province’s chief medical officer of health, becoming the face of Alberta’s COVID-19 public health announcements until she was fired last year by Premier Danielle Smith. Smith’s leadership campaign in part capitalized on the anger of UCP members over COVID-19 measures and vaccine mandates.
Advertisement 5
Article content
Smith also made good on her promise to dismiss the governing board of AHS shortly after taking office, installing sole administrator Dr. John Cowell in November. Cowell reports directly to Smith and her health minister.
On Thursday, NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley attributed Dr. Tailfeathers’ departure to the “politicized actions of the UCP,” and called it “another blow to a system already in longstanding crisis.”
NDP MLA for Edmonton City-Centre David Shepherd added on Friday that Alberta is desperate for health-care workers at every level.
“Creating chaos through political interference will drive away those we have and make it harder to hire more, making it harder for Albertans to access care,” he wrote on social media.
On Tuesday, the Alberta Medical Association’s Indigenous health committee said in a Twitter thread the circumstances that led to Tailfeathers’ resignation have raised questions.
“The impact her resignation will have on Indigenous health in Alberta moving forward is unknown but there is confusion and concern among many,” it wrote.
lijohnson@postmedia.com
twitter.com/reportrix
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation