The Canadian government says it is urgently trying to end the forced sterilization of Indigenous women, describing the practice as a human rights violation and a prosecutable offense.
Yet police say they will not pursue a criminal investigation into a recent case in which a doctor apologized for his “unprofessional conduct” in sterilizing an Inuit woman.
In July, The Associated Press reported on the case of an Inuit woman in Yellowknife who had surgery in 2019 aimed at relieving her abdominal pain.
“This is a pivotal case for Canada because it shows that forced sterilization is still happening,” said Dr. Unjali Malhotra, of the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia.
Political Cartoons View All 1182 ImagesBut the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they would not be investigating Kotaska, because the woman hasn't filed a criminal complaint.
Persons:
Andrew Kotaska, sterilize, ”, Unjali Malhotra, “, ” Kotaska, hasn't, Steven Cooper, Lisa Kelly, ” Kelly, Kelly, ” Sen, Yvonne Boyer, ” Boyer, Kotaska, ” Emma Cunliffe
Organizations:
Associated Press, First Nations Health Authority, AP, Canadian, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, Queen’s University, University of British, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group
Locations:
sterilizing, Yellowknife, Canada, British Columbia, Ontario, Northwest Territories, University of British Columbia