Pimicikamak family demands apology after being forced out of hotel days after teen’s surgery

A Pimicikamak family is demanding accountability after they were allegedly kicked out of their hotel room while their teen son was recovering from a knee surgery, forcing him back to hospital.

Nicholas Robinson, who travelled to Winnipeg with his family, last Thursday for knee surgery with his family, was allegedly forced out by hotel security, just two days of the surgery.

Robinson had been recuperating at Canad Inns after spending one night in the hospital. The hotel is known to have patients who travel for healthcare often stay at the location which is connected to the Health Sciences Centre

The family was waiting for approval from the First Nations and Inuit health branch to extend their stay, as he was still in significant pain and struggling to move.

“He literally came at me and was pulling my pillows and trying to get me off the bed while I was in pain, I told him I could do it myself, but he didn’t give us enough time I didn’t even have time to get my shoes, I am still shoeless,” Robinson recalled.

Pimicikamak Cree Nation leadership shared a video of the incident to CityNews.

They said that a young patient recovering from surgery should not have been removed while that paperwork was still being sorted out.

The First Nation leadership has called for written apologies from Manitoba Health, the hotel and the medical transportation system involved.

“Every child matters,” said Chief David Monias. “If you really believe it change the system to make a better system for our kids.”

In a statement to CityNews, Canad Inns said they were aware of the video circulating online and was reviewing the incident, including security reports and available footage, to better understand what happened.

The company says staff were expected to handle interactions with professionalism and respect but cannot comment further while the review was ongoing.

 “We’re not done here yet,” said Robinson’s grandfather Raymond. “We are going to go with further action.”

“You better believe it,” he added. “This is not over, its just starting.”

Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said, in a statement to CityNews, that they have directed Shared Health to investigate the circumstances.

“No one should be treated that way, and particularly when you are healing from a surgery or procedure,” Asagwara said, adding that the ministry had reached out to the family to offer support.