Meet the therapy dogs who bring joy to Ottawa hospitals, facilities
A team of calm and friendly dogs visit various healthcare, educational and social facilities throughout Ottawa, bringing joy, happiness and therapy to patients, family and staff. (Peter Szperling/ CTV News Ottawa)
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CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
U.S. doctor making move to B.C.
Vancouver Watch The government is ramping up its multi-million-dollar campaign to lure health-care professionals from south of the border.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Why one U.S. doctor is moving to Vancouver Island
Dr. Muthana Yacoub has been working as a family physician in Woodland Park, Colo., for six years now. But by November, he will be practising medicine in Colwood, B.C. 'We finally visited this past weekend and we absolutely fell in love with it,' Yacoub said. He'll work at a unique, city-owned clinic, which has recruited four doctors from the U.S., the U.K. and other parts of Canada. Yacoub, who spent part of his childhood living in Toronto, already had Canadian citizenship. He heard about the new Vancouver Island clinic while attending a medical conference in Vancouver last November, and was ready for change. 'You do see this pressure from insurance companies where you feel like you're just kind of catering to their whims and those whims change every six months,' he explained. 'It can be extremely frustrating, because you know what you want to do for the patient, what the right thing to do for the patient is, but you have no efficacy in actually getting that done.' The Ministry of Health is hoping more U.S. doctors feel the same as Yacoub. The province recently began a $5-million recruitment campaign running ads in Washington State, Oregon and parts of California. This week, a branded truck was giving out free coffee to health-care workers in Seattle. 'Doctors of BC supports all efforts to address the province's health workforce challenges,' said Dr. Charlene Lui, the organization's president. 'It's so important to improve timely and quality access to care for our patients.' Lui said Doctors of BC is willing to work with the Ministry of Health and other key partners to 'explore solutions for this very complex issue, including integrating foreign-trained physicians not only from the U.S., but around the globe.' She said they are exploring questions around licensing with stakeholders. The ministry said more than 1,600 health-care providers have expressed an interest in moving to our province. However, despite requests from CTV News, the ministry did not provide any numbers on how many doctors and nurses had actually committed to making the move. In a statement, the ministry said: 'Steps are being taken to get those interested to B.C., but this is a process that takes time.''We are also working with our federal partners on the immigration front,' the statement added. Yacoub said he thinks the biggest barrier for workers coming from the U.S. is 'the concept of moving to a different country and the whole licensing situation.' He also pointed out that America is facing its own family doctor shortage, particularly in rural areas. He said despite flaws in B.C.'s health-care system, he believes it's a much better system than the one he is currently working in. 'Even the poorest among us can get care if they need it, whereas here (in the U.S.), it's a coin toss. They may not get their care at all,' he said, adding that someone should not face bankruptcy to get medical treatment. Yacoub said Colwood has been very welcoming and he can't wait to make B.C. home. 'From the bottom of my heart, thank you,' he said.
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
New totem pole in B.C. acknowledges Canada's legacy of Indian hospitals
Social Sharing An Indigenous community near Prince Rupert, B.C., raised a new memorial totem pole ahead of National Indigenous People's Day to honour those who were affected by the Miller Bay TB Hospital. According to the Lax Kw'alaams Band, the Miller Bay TB Hospital, which operated from 1946 to 1971, was used by the federal government to isolate and treat Indigenous patients with tuberculosis (TB). Many of them were children who were forcibly removed from their communities and patients were often separated from family for years at a time. In a statement, the Lax Kw'alaams Band said Friday's pole raising ceremony was part of a day of remembrance and healing. "We wanted to recognize [and educate] people throughout Canada and B.C. on Miller Bay and the effects that it had on a lot of people," said Joey Wesley, a councillor with Lax Kw'alaams Band. "One way that we wanted to recognize and honour everyone was to carve and raise a totem pole in memory." The pole was carved by Mike Epp, a Tsimshian carver. In a press release, Epp said the monument is made out of red cedar and represents healing for the survivors of Miller Bay TB Hospital. "I can't wait to see how it looks standing up," he said ahead of Friday's event, noting that pole-raising ceremonies bring the community together. The Miller Bay TB Hospital was one of at least three major Indian hospitals that operated in B.C., according to the University of British Columbia's Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre. Indian hospitals were substandard facilities operated by the federal government starting in the 1930s to separate Indigenous people from the rest of the Canadian population to stop the spread of tuberculosis. Tens of thousands of First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients, including children, were admitted to the overcrowded, poorly staffed and unsanitary institutions. Survivors allege they faced physical and sexual abuse from hospital staff, along with forcible confinement to beds without a medical reason. Some say they were also the subject of medical experiments. In March, Ottawa reached a proposed settlement agreement with survivors of Indian hospitals to provide individual compensation ranging from $10,000 to $200,000. Totem pole figure meanings, from bottom to top Epp says that the bottom figure of the totem pole is a shaman. "The shaman is there to help heal the people that are still dealing with their trauma from the hospital," Epp told CBC's Daybreak North. Above the shaman is a figure of a woman chief, who is holding a young man in her hands. "This part represents continuing the traditions, teaching the young people in the tribe how to carry themselves." Four small figures are above the woman chief, representing the people who were lost in the Miller Bay Hospital. On one side are men, on the other side are women. Above that is a foot and a half of blank space where pieces of copper are going to be installed. The copper pieces are being sent to Epp from family members who were impacted. A warrior with copper in one hand, and a spear in another, sits on top of the blank spot. The warrior represents the resilience of First Nations people and their role as guardians of future generations, lands and waters.
