The family of a man who died last week after a physical altercation with security at Saskatchewan’s largest hospital is identifying him as Trevor Dubois.
In a statement provided to the Saskatchewan-based news agency paNOW, the family said Dubois had brain cancer and was at the Royal University Hospital for chemotherapy when the altercation happened Friday.
The Saskatoon Tribal Council said over the weekend its chief, Mark Arcand, and the man’s relatives are set to speak more on his death in a news conference Monday.
The family told paNOW that Dubois, 36, was diagnosed last month with cancer but was determined to win his fight against it.
“The loss of Trevor has been a devastating shock to all who knew him,” said the statement published on Sunday.
“He made a positive impact to so many communities and touched many people’s lives.”
The Saskatchewan Health Authority has said security officers were called to a patient’s room Friday morning after staff reported a safety concern.
The authority said the patient became unresponsive after officers got involved in a physical altercation with the patient.
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“Medical staff responded to provide patient care and pronounced the patient deceased,” it said in a statement Friday. “The SHA immediately notified the Saskatoon Police Service.”
The SHA said it was co-operating with investigators and also providing support to hospital workers.
The authority said it was also speaking with the Saskatoon Tribal Council to provide supports to the patient’s family.
“The SHA … has deemed this a critical incident, which initiates a legislated process for review and reporting, including a formal internal review,” the authority’s statement said.
Relatives of Dubois said they want justice.
“The family is asking for change in how situations like this occur or can escalate to something so horrific. This is a very unfortunate event that resulted in the loss of a life, taken too soon, that could have been prevented,” the family’s statement said.
“He wasn’t known for any violence and had an infectious laugh that will forever be remembered by everyone who knows him.”
Family members who visited and talked to Dubois a day before his death found him happy and he showed no signs of any distress, the statement said.
Dubois had a degree in social work from First Nations University of Canada and was working on obtaining his master’s degree at the time of his death, according to the family statement.
Saskatchewan’s Opposition NDP deputy leader, Vicki Mowat, said in a Sunday statement on social media there are many causes of the increasing chaos in hospitals.
“Let’s be clear — there are many causes of the mounting chaos we see in our emergency rooms and they must all be addressed — lack of social supports in the community, staffing shortages and burnout, and a lack of primary care to name a few,” the statement said.
“However, safety cannot take a backseat during this chaos.”
Mowat said there have been multiple security incidents at hospitals across Saskatchewan in recent months.
The NDP said safety is also becoming a top issue for hospital workers, staff and patients.
“We again are demanding Scott Moe and his Health Minister step forward immediately on Monday to address these incidents directly and spell out clearly what steps they will take urgently to improve safety,” Mowat said.
Premier Moe’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
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