The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) calls on Mackenzie Health to take immediate action to address the troubling rise of anti-Palestinian racism within its institution, beginning with launching an investigation into Dr. David Carr’s recent public inflammatory anti-Palestinian comments and taking appropriate disciplinary measures. Dr. Carr’s recent social media comment represents a significant breach of professional conduct and ethics. It raises serious concerns about patient safety and trust. As an emergency physician at Mackenzie Health, Dr. Carr recently engaged in a social media exchange with a Toronto Star columnist, implying that medical treatment could be withheld based on patients’ political views. Such rhetoric threatens the foundational principles of unbiased care and undermines trust in the healthcare system, particularly for patients who may hold differing views.
CMPAC is alarmed that Dr. Carr’s conduct reflects a broader pattern within Mackenzie Health. Other physicians at the hospital have also made public statements promoting harmful stereotypes about Palestinians and Muslims without facing accountability. For example, in December 2023, Dr. Hy Dwosh, a critical care physician, posted a comment perpetuating the stereotype that Palestinians harbor hatred for their own children, a remark that risks stigmatizing entire communities. In another case, in November 2023, Dr. Penny Turner endorsed a tweet falsely linking Muslim immigrants to rising antisemitism in the West, creating a hostile atmosphere for Muslim patients and colleagues. To date, Mackenzie Health has not taken any public steps to address these inflammatory statements, highlighting an alarming double standard in how the institution addresses anti-Palestinian racism compared to other forms of discrimination.
This disparity becomes evident when contrasted with Mackenzie Health’s immediate suspension of nephrologist Dr. Ben Thomson in October 2023 after he countered dehumanizing language against Palestinians. While Dr. Thomson was later reinstated after a 10 day period, this swift punishment for standing up for human rights, contrasted with the leniency shown to physicians making anti-Palestinian statements, sends a chilling message to healthcare providers committed to social justice. CMPAC calls on Mackenzie Health to act with consistency and integrity by suspending Dr. Carr and conducting a comprehensive review of its policies on professional conduct to ensure all healthcare providers meet the highest standards of professionalism.
CMPAC also urges the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to enforce its policies on professional behavior, human rights, and social media conduct. The CPSO’s Professional Behaviour policy requires physicians to demonstrate respect and civility towards patients and colleagues, while its Human Rights in the Provision of Health Services policy mandates care free from discrimination, fostering a safe, inclusive, and accessible environment for all patients. It prohibits discrimination based on protected grounds, reliance on stereotypes, and the expression of personal judgments that demean a patient’s identity or beliefs. The CPSO’s Social Media policy also directs physicians to maintain professionalism online, ensuring that their conduct does not adversely impact patient care or public trust. Finally, under Canadian human rights laws, patients are legally entitled to receive care without fear of discrimination based on race, religion, or political beliefs. Dr. Carr’s actions appear to contravene both CPSO standards and Canadian human rights protections, warranting an investigation and appropriate disciplinary measures by the CPSO.
CMPAC emphasizes the need for healthcare institutions to adopt and rigorously enforce policies that prevent personal biases from impacting patient care. Additionally, institutions must protect providers who advocate for human rights and dignity from harassment or retaliation. CMPAC calls on Mackenzie Health and the CPSO to adopt clear steps, such as implementing mandatory anti-discrimination training and creating accountability measures for social media conduct, to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.
