Did politics muzzle a doctor who spoke out about the Ontario government's COVID-19 response?
The Hippocratic Oath is taken by physicians entering the medical profession. In part it reads:
I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.
In early 2020, just as the Coronavirus swept into Canada, Dr. Brooks Fallis became the Interim Medical Director of the Critical Care team at William Osler Health System in Brampton, Ont. Dr. Fallis was forced to confront what he says will probably be “my biggest challenge as a physician.”
He embarked on a journey to care for his critically ill patients suffering from COVID-19 in the ICU, “the infirm” as the Oath calls them. He also committed himself to fulfil the Oath’s obligation to “all my fellow human beings.”
Dr. Fallis did that by doing media interviews when asked, writing opinion pieces and signing up on Twitter. As the pandemic worsened Dr. Fallis says he “felt this sort of moral obligation to speak out.” His target, time and again, was the strategy adopted by the Ontario government and Premier Doug Ford to contain COVID-19.
In early 2021 a new COVID strain, Alpha, was taking hold in Canada and Dr. Fallis believed the government did not recognize the urgency of the crisis at hand. He took to Twitter repeatedly calling out Premier Ford directly. He fired off this tweet on January 5, “The truth: Doug Ford has absolutely no clue what he’s doing.”
Two weeks later the hospital sent Dr. Fallis a letter terminating his leadership role. Dr. Fallis believes his advocacy was the cause. “I felt I’d been removed from the position because of political pressure and not because of my work,” he says.
On a video call with his bosses days after his termination notice the then Chief of Staff, Dr. Frank Martino, seemed to confirm Dr. Fallis’ impression. “There were comments made either on Twitter or comments made during interviews about government and about politicians.” Dr. Martino said.
Both the hospital and Premier Ford denied that there was political pressure on what both say was a Human Resource matter.
Dr. Fallis’s response? “I've never said that Doug Ford got me fired or asked for me to be fired. I've never said that. I've always just said that the hospital was experiencing pressure from the government to try to rein in the public commentary I was making.”
Today Dr. Fallis’ commitment to the Oath is firm. “People need to be able to feel like they can say things freely and criticize organizations or governments and not feel that they might face disciplinary action for that.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.