First Nation Man Files Human Rights Complaint Over Wife’s Death at Alberta Hospital
A man from a First Nation in southern Alberta has filed a human rights complaint against the provincial health agency and a local hospital, alleging anti-Indigenous discrimination led to the death of his wife. Benedict Crow Chief, a member of the Siksika Nation, claims that staff and doctors at the Strathmore District Health Services hospital failed to inform them about his wife’s active abdominal bleeding, which ultimately led to her death.
The complaint, filed with the Alberta Human Rights Commission, accuses doctors of neglecting to provide adequate pain management and alleges that nurses ignored his wife’s requests for assistance. Crow Chief emotionally described the ordeal faced by his late wife during a news conference, questioning why hospitals admit patients without providing proper care and attention. He believes that if they were not Indigenous, they would have been treated differently.
According to the complaint, Myra Crow Chief, aged 49, died at Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary days after being discharged from the Strathmore hospital. Two months prior, she had been hospitalized at Foothills due to gastrointestinal bleeding caused by chronic kidney disease. Although no active bleeding was found at that time, she was advised to return to the hospital if she experienced new bleeding or had concerns.
When Myra woke up on April 17, 2022, with a severe coughing fit and intense abdominal pain, the couple was reluctant to go to the local hospital. However, paramedics refused to take her to Foothills and directed them to the Strathmore hospital instead. The human rights complaint describes the Strathmore hospital as being known within the Siksika community for systemic anti-Indigenous discrimination.
During her visit to the Strathmore hospital, a CT scan at Calgary’s Peter Lougheed Centre revealed evidence of an active abdominal bleed. Shockingly, the doctor at the Strathmore hospital did not inform Myra about the CT scan results or provide her with a prescription for pain medication. Instead, he advised her to manage her pain during her next dialysis session scheduled for the following day.
As Myra’s condition worsened, her husband decided to take her directly to Foothills. Sadly, she died of hypovolemic shock, a condition resulting from severe blood loss that impairs the heart’s ability to pump enough blood to the body. The likely secondary cause of death was a hematoma in her abdominal area.
At a news conference, Siksika Chief Ouray Crowfoot emphasized that the band has been collecting information since early 2022 regarding issues its members have faced with the healthcare system. He stressed that Siksika members seek equal and fair treatment and hope to bring attention to a broader problem within the Canadian healthcare system.
The human rights complaint calls for specific remedies, such as conducting an equity audit to investigate the inequitable treatment of Indigenous people at the Strathmore hospital. It also suggests changes to hiring and retention practices, as well as workplace anti-racism and cultural sensitivity training.
This tragic case highlights the urgent need for addressing systemic discrimination and ensuring equitable access to healthcare for Indigenous communities. The implications of anti-Indigenous discrimination in the healthcare system raise serious concerns and demand a comprehensive response to prevent further harm and loss of life.
