Manitoba hotel chain fires employee captured on video forcing family from room

First Nations leaders want an apology after a youth and his mother were booted from the hotel they were staying at after surgery.

A Manitoba hotel chain is apologizing to an Indigenous family after a video shows an employee yelling at them and kicking them out of a hotel room while a young man was recovering from surgery.

Canad Inns released a statement Thursday afternoon, saying the interaction captured on video “does not reflect the standards of professionalism, care, or respect” the company expects from employees.

“In response to this incident, the employee involved is no longer employed by Canad Inns,” the statement reads. “The actions shown did not follow our established policies or procedures. We are reinforcing those expectations across our team and implementing additional training to ensure situations involving guests are handled appropriately and in accordance with our standards.”

The decision was made after a video circulated online showing a confrontation between security guards and Jodie and Nicholas Robinson at the Canad Inns Health Sciences Centre hotel. The family, who are from Pimicikamak Cree Nation, were in town as Nicholas was receiving leg surgery.

The 50-second video recorded on Tuesday appears to show security guards and a staff member swearing and ordering the family out of the room. The Robinsons said Nicholas cannot move because of his leg surgery.

The hotel is frequently used by patients travelling to Winnipeg for medical treatment.

Pimicikamak Chief David Monias said the family was receiving support from the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch and that an administrative delay prevented their stay at the hotel from being extended before the incident.

A spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada confirmed that a delay in approving a non-insured health benefits-covered hotel extension occurred, resulting in a temporary accommodation disruption.

“Once the issue was brought to the department’s attention later that evening, the matter was corrected immediately, an apology was issued, and alternate accommodations were arranged,” the spokesperson said.

Canad Inns said in their statement that they sincerely apologize to the Robinsons, as well as the broader community, “for the distress this situation has caused.”

“The manner in which this interaction was handled is not consistent with the values of our organization or the experience we strive to provide to every guest,” the statement reads.

-With files from CTV’s William Reimer