The Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority fired an employee this week for a social media post disparaging the landfill search for remains of murdered Indigenous women.
“The actions we took were necessary and reasonable in accordance with organizational policies,” CEO Marion Ellis said in an email Wednesday. “It is vital that people who interact with the health-care system are respected and cared for in a kind and safe way.”
On social media Tuesday, the health region said that multiple staff members “recognized the post as racist and brought it forward to leadership. An immediate investigation confirmed the post was linked to an IERHA employee,” the post said.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
Marion Ellis, centre, CEO of Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority which fired an employee this week for a social media post disparaging the landfill search for remains of murdered Indigenous women.
“Direction was given to remove the post and the employee is now no longer working with IERHA.”
A health region source confirmed Wednesday that the employee was fired.
“Posts of this nature are deeply hurtful,” the health region Facebook post said. “We remain committed to reconciliation, anti-racism and to mitigating further harms through swift and decisive action.”
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine shared the hurtful post Sunday to “underscore” the importance of why she shares “so much about the beauty, strength and resilience of Indigenous women, girls and 2Spirit relatives.”
The post suggested that money being used to search for the remains of a serial killer would be better spent inside the health-care system.
In response, Fontaine wrote that “even in death, Indigenous women’s humanity and worth are questioned, dismissed or erased.”
“The violence we face isn’t just physical,” she wrote. “It’s systemic and it’s in the narratives devaluing us at every turn. We deserve to be loved and respected in life and death.”
The province and the federal governments pledged $40 million for the search operation now underway at Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg to find the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran.
Fontaine, who is the minister responsible for gender equity and a member of Sagkeeng Anishnaabe First Nation, appeared to express sympathy for the author of the post.
“I genuinely feel sorry for this individual to be so divorced from themselves and from the collective of who we are as Manitobans,” the minister wrote on social media.
Fontaine declined an interview request Wednesday, indicating she would not provide further comment on the human resources matter.
The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union, which represents the fired employee, was unable to provide an interview Wednesday but offered a prepared statement.
“MGEU condemns racism in all forms and is dedicated to moving forward in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration with Indigenous communities,” said the statement sent on behalf of Janet Kehler, MGEU director of member services.
“Like all unions, MGEU has a legal obligation under the Labour Relations Act to provide representation to all members. MGEU cannot comment on any individual’s employment circumstances.”
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.