N.S. risks losing dozens of physicians over a potential new policy
CTV
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia are drafting the Professional Standard Regarding Conscientious Objection, which includes a policy that would force doctors to provide an ‘effective referral’ for surgical or medical treatments that go against their values or beliefs.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia is drafting the Professional Standard Regarding Conscientious Objection, which includes a policy that would force doctors to provide an ‘effective referral’ for surgical or medical treatments that go against their values or beliefs.
This usually happens for cases like medical assistance in dying (MAID), abortion, and gender-affirming care.
The draft defines ‘effective referral’ as a referral made in good faith to a non-objecting, available, and accessible physician, other health-care professional or agency.
“A physician needs to maintain their own integrity, whether it’s because of their religious beliefs or moral conviction. For us, a referral is a recommendation for services and we’re not able to provide a formal recommendation,” said Larry Worthen, executive director of Christian Medical and Dental Association of Canada (CMDA).
A total of 24 physicians in Nova Scotia have signed a letter, indicating that they cannot follow the policy, and that if it is put in place, they will have no choice but to either leave the province to practice elsewhere or retire early.
“If there is a complaint from a patient, the college has said they will discipline doctors and once that happens that will affect their ability to practice. A doctor can’t afford to get a black mark on their record. It will affect their ability to move to another province,” explained Worthen.
The doctors against the policy would instead prefer to simply provide information and assist the patient in accessing it, but nothing more.
A Toronto-area woman who was defrauded out of $158,000 in a roofing scam over the summer received about half her money back following a tip from a CTV News viewer.
It's official — Quebec has set a new record for the most stolen vehicles recovered in one year by Canadian border agents.
Facing criticism for requiring health care workers with two jobs within the public system to choose one to comply with labour laws, Santé Québec has announced a one-year extension to the transition period.
The consortium responsible for building Ottawa's new north-south line, TransitNext, says it is ready for the City of Ottawa to begin the final phase of approvals before opening the line to the public.
Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence has been sentenced to 12 months probation – after pleading guilty to one count of assault.
Several thousand British Columbians remain in the dark Wednesday morning after a windstorm known as a bomb cyclone slammed coastal communities.
A man who plead guilty to a double stabbing in 2015 will soon be out on statutory release, but he'll have to follow some strict conditions set out by the parole board.
A school bus hit parked vehicles and pushed one into a Middle Sackville, N.S., home Wednesday afternoon.
A four-month-old baby is dead after what Toronto police are calling a “suspicious incident” at a Toronto Community Housing building in the city’s midtown area on Wednesday afternoon.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced embattled minister Randy Boissonnault is out of cabinet.
A London father and son they’re shocked and confused after their home was riddled with bullets while young children were sleeping inside.