A surgeon who placed a noose on an operating room door where a Black colleague was working at a northern Alberta hospital has received a four-month suspension.
On Monday, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta said orthopedic surgeon Dr. Wynand Wessels engaged in conduct that “harms the integrity of the medical profession” when he fixed the noose to a door at the Grande Prairie Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Grande Prairie in June 2016.
“Having reviewed all the evidence and the transcripts from the Hearing, the Tribunal feels that the sanction it has reached will primarily act as a general deterrent to the profession,” said a decision from a disciplinary tribunal.
“It believes it is highly unlikely that Dr. Wessels will ever act in such an unprofessional manner in the future.”
The disciplinary decision comes a year after a merits decision by the CPSA found the act was unprofessional but “not racially motived” — a finding that drew sharp criticism from advocates for Black medical professionals. The tribunal found “on the balance of probabilities” there wasn’t enough evidence to prove Wessels was motived by racism.
Dr. Oduche Onwuanyi, a Nigerian-born Black surgical assistant, was working in the room with five other people when the noose was hung on the door, according to the summary of testimony given by numerous parties.
Wessels, a white doctor originally from South Africa, placed it there but denied knowing the racist meaning of hanging a noose in such a way in North America.
Another doctor testified Wessels told him the noose was hung as a lasso as a symbol of trying to herd people to move in the same direction. Wessels later testified the noose was against “anyone who misbehaves.”
But Onwuanyi was assisting Wiens that day and Wessels told him the noose was for his assistant, according to Wiens’ testimony.
Onwuanyi said he took the noose as a warning sign that “Blacks need to be cautious” and that “you are not entitled to any freedom of expression or thoughts or actions within these confines.”
Wiens, who testified everyone present felt the act was racist, said he saw Wessels hang the noose and took a photo of it and took it down; another doctor then filed a report. He said third doctor pulled Wessels aside and yelled at him.
“Dr. Wiens stated that he saw the noose as conveying a message which he interpreted as a racist act and a threat to the personal safety of the people working in the room that day,” reads the decision.
Wessels has been ordered to pay 75 per cent of the costs of the investigation and hearings into the incident.
The CPSA addressed the length of time it took to review the case Monday, saying it is reviewing its complaints process “to identify and implement opportunities for improvement such as modernization and timeliness.”
“This review began before this case went to a hearing, however we are committed to using this opportunity to learn and continue to improve the work that we do,” Andrea Garland, acting director of communications for the college, said in an email.
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This surgeon put a noose on the door where his Black colleague was working. Five years later, he got his punishment: a four-month suspension - Toronto Star
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