PRESS RELEASE::: International MDs sue U of O for conspiracy to injure -- $120 million claim made public

(OTTAWA, January 30, 2012) – Dr. Waleed AlGhaithy (Neurosurgery Residency Program, University of Ottawa), Dr. Khalid Aba-Alkhail (Cardiac Surgery Residency Program) and Dr. Manal Al-Saigh (same) have filed a joint action against the University of Ottawa and several of its officials.

Discrimination, conspiracy to injure, malfeasance in public office, breaches of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, defamation, breach of contract, and negligence are claimed against the University and several of its officials.

Among the individual defendants are Dr. Jacques Bradwejn – Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. James Worthington – Ottawa Hospital’s Vice-President of Medical Affairs and Patient Safety, Dr. Paul Bragg – Associate Dean Postgraduate Medical Education, Dr. Eric Poulin – Chair of the Department of Surgery, Dr. Therry Mesana – Chair of the Cardiac Surgery Division, Dr. Richard Moulton – Chair of the Neurosurgery Division, Dr. Fraser Rubens – Cardiac Surgery Program Director, and Dr. John Sinclair – former Neurosurgery Program Director.

The claim casts a spotlight on the state of medical training of foreign medical residents at both provincial and national levels in Canadian universities and illustrates some of the hurdles faced by foreign doctors at the U of O.

The plaintiffs’ case had garnered media attention in the Spring of 2011 when they held a press conference to announce that they had filed a Human Rights Complaint against the University of Ottawa.

They are represented by lawyers Douglas Christie and Barbara Kulaszka.

For more details please follow the link to the statement of claim: Aba-AlKhail et al. v. University of Ottawa et al. CV-11-440336.

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For more information please contact:

Mireille Gervais, LL.L.
Director, Student Appeal Centre
Student Federation of the University of Ottawa
Email: case.cresac@sfuo.ca

Khalid Aba-AlKhail, MD
Cardiac Surgery Program
University of Ottawa

All related posts about this case and the Faculty of Medicine are HERE.

Ibrahim Said wrongly dismissed - Medicine Dean Jacques Bradwejn biased against foreign doctor - Judge rules

(Jacques Bradwajn, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, U of O)

On December 30, 2011, a judge ruled (link HERE) in yet another case of wrongful bias and wrongful dismissal in "Canada's university's" (aka U of O) Faculty of Medicine. The national media reported on the ruling early this month:

National Post article HERE.

This time the target was foreign-trained Dr. Ibrahim Said who was denied the certification to continue practicing medicine rather than being promoted to Associate Professor despite an excellent performance evaluation.

The judge is reported to have found that the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Jacques Bradwejn, acted with bias against Said. In my view, the circumstances were also not duly ascertained by the Faculty committee responsible to make the recommendation, which found it acceptable to go along with the Dean.

In recent years, at least five non-white doctors have been targeted by the Faculty of Medicine, with devastating career consequences. These are only the known cases that have led to court or tribunal processes.

The Rock administration has not yet seen fit to investigate or intervene but instead is in denial and funds extravagant legal defences against the plaintiffs or complainants. Not to mention the School of Nursing racial discrimination problems, HERE.

All U of O Watch links about the Faculty of Medicine are HERE.