‘Nunavut is scary’: Nurses speak out about toxic work environment
Current, former staff allege harassment, abuse, blacklisting make it harder for Nunavummiut to access health care
Jessica Garner is a former Nunavut nurse who is speaking out about what she describes as a toxic work environment in the territory’s health centres. She says she is concerned the situation creates a barrier to health care. Garner is one of 11 nurses who have spoken to Nunatsiaq News over the past six months about their experience in Nunavut. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Garner)
This is Part 1 of a three-part series about the work environment in Nunavut’s health centres.
Nurses say a toxic workplace culture in Nunavut’s health centres is driving them out of the territory and, in some cases, out of the profession entirely.
“People say, ‘Oh, pay them more, pay them more.’ No, dummies, Nunavut is scary,” says Jessica Garner, who worked in Baker Lake and Gjoa Haven between April 2019 and September 2020.
She came to the territory looking for an adventure and an opportunity to help people. Instead, she says she was worked to the bone, harassed by her colleagues and superiors and eventually blacklisted from working in the territory after asking for help.
Garner is one of several nurses sounding an alarm about a workplace culture in Nunavut they say is so toxic it creates a barrier to health care.
Garner’s story
Garner was a registered nurse hired to work in Baker Lake as a mental-health nurse. She regularly worked 24-hour shifts that started at the health centre from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but was then on-call for the rest of the night. She said she would sometimes get calls from her colleagues every couple of hours, all night long, about things that were not necessary for her to be involved in.
Jessica Garner says she put up decorations in the Baker Lake health centre to help boost morale. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Garner)
Garner detailed a number of ways she tried to improve care and staff morale at the health centre.
She recalled a highlight of her time in Baker Lake involved working with RCMP to improve the police department’s working relationship with the health centre.
But most initiatives, she said, made things worse. Garner tried offering tips on when it’s appropriate to call the mental health nurse during overnight shifts, for example, but that only resulted in more calls from her colleagues.
“Like when in war, the enemies drop bombs randomly and constantly so soldiers get sleep deprivation,” Garner said.
She wrote an email to her director asking for help in October 2019, warning the work environment was contributing to a shortage of nurses and physicians at the health centre.
Nothing came of this email, Garner said. She also filed harassment complaints to the Department of Human Resources and says, to this day, she has no idea what happened to them.
Garner requested a transfer in May 2020 to a public health position in Gjoa Haven, hoping it would be a better working environment.
“It was a waking nightmare,” Garner said of Gjoa Haven.
There, she said she was harassed by co-workers and managers to the point of experiencing extreme anxiety and panic attacks.
Garner asked to be transferred out of Gjoa Haven, but her request was denied. She resigned in September 2020, hoping to continue with the GN as a casual nurse but said the territory wouldn’t have her back, despite having a positive performance review and other positive feedback, copies of which Nunatsiaq News has seen.
Garner gave up her nursing licence in 2022 after eight years of practice, disillusioned with the systems that are supposed to protect her.
She said she loves Nunavut and its people and she loves nursing, but the bad outweighs the good.
Garner said she is speaking out because she believes the situation creates a barrier to care for the people who live there.
“Good nurses leave or are kicked out, and the nurses that stay are the bullies and they are the ones that rise in these positions,” she said.
“It creates a crisis situation.”
Nurses asked for help, got reprimanded instead
Garner’s story is echoed by 10 other nurses who spoke to Nunatsiaq News at length about working in seven communities spanning all three regions of Nunavut.
Nunatsiaq News is protecting their identities because they either currently work in Nunavut or are between contracts and fear reprisals for speaking out.
This is an excerpt from an email Jessica Garner sent to one of her managers, asking for help, on Oct. 3, 2019. Garner says nothing came of this email. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Garner)
All of them, like Garner, enthusiastically described their love of Nunavut, but say they’ve experienced severe trauma, in some cases resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses from the workplace culture in the health centres.
Many say they have filed formal harassment complaints, only to see them disappear into a black hole.
Speaking up about harassment seems to only invite more abuse, they say.
Multiple nurses described instances where they were reprimanded after asking for help and said they go to work every day terrified for their well-being.
One nurse, who has spent close to four years working in Nunavut, described health centres as “little dictatorships” run with no accountability.
Another nurse, who has worked in two communities, said, “There is an overarching feeling of somebody staring at you through a microscope, who hasn’t done your job for 20 years and is four years away from a pension…. [They] don’t like me because I’m making their job hard.”
These allegations come as no surprise to Jason Rochon, president of the Nunavut Employees Union.
He said he’s heard hundreds of stories over the years from nurses who say they are terrified.
“It’s something I’ve heard people talking about for decades here in Nunavut,” Rochon said.
“We hear from casuals who say they use their voice, and the next thing they know they’re blacklisted. That’s a real thing, the GN needs to admit how many workers have been blacklisted for using their voice. How dangerous is that?”
When asked, Health Minister John Main said he is not aware of a formal blacklisting policy, but individuals might be flagged through the Department of Human Resources process of background and reference checks.
Health centre closures
Meanwhile, Canada suffers under a nationwide nursing shortage, a problem that extends to Nunavut.
Five of Nunavut’s community health centres have temporarily closed since last summer due to a lack of health-care staff.
Kinngait experienced two closures — once in August 2022 for about a month and again in December for 10 days.
Pangnirtung also closed for a week in August 2022 and Grise Fiord closed for two days last October.
Kimmirut closed twice — once in September 2022 for a little over a week, then in March of this year for two days.
Arctic Bay closed for seven days between May and June this year.
In an interview with Nunatsiaq News, Main called workplace bullying and harassment “unacceptable” and acknowledged the territory has struggled with nurse retention.
He said the Health Department surveyed 100 Nunavut nurses in 2021 to inform a strategy to bolster its workforce.
That strategy, Roadmap to Strengthen the Nunavut Nursing Workforce, is in the process of implementation.
One survey response highlighted in the report says: “If you are able to voice your concerns and feel someone is listening and doing something, that [boosts] morale.”
Watch for Part 2 of this series which explores how the GN’s Department of Human Resources handles harassment complaints.
Sad part is this isn’t new ….
The problem.is health has alot of buddies who hire buddies in management positions .
Health has been toxic for many years . It’s YOur mla and ministers that are fairly this territory.
Yep, and those directors that are hired from being buddies of someone are untouchable, no matter how psychopathic.
This is so true! A Nurse is only as good as it’s management team! The directors are in these positions lots of times without even being nurses. How are they supposed to support you when they do not have the qualifications to understand situations at hand and that’s not even discussing their approach in handling all of the health centres staffing issues! It’s a very toxic environment, I know all to well!
It’s here in Montreal, work place bullying and harassment is real, but hidden by union who play a role in sabotaging your case and blacklisting you from public sector. I’ve been fighting it since 2019 to 2023 wrongful dismissal. Yes, statute of limitation, but my case is unique. Currently preparing to fight union in TAT soon. I know the pain, living through it is hard.
I refuse to work in Healthcare now, I am in Payroll in Ontario. It’s rampant. Nepotism, Bullying, Harrasment, Toxic Gossip, and 100% set up to fail.
I was hoping to make my way to Nunavut. This is so sad to hear.
The newspaper should turn an eye to the Nunavut Housing Corporation if they’re looking to expose toxic work environments. Speak to some past employees, especially of the directorate in Iqaluit.
Most care aides and health care workers are toxic making some workers not wanting to work in the facilities.Too toxic especially a particular culture always reporting new staffs just to make them uncomfortable so they can work there alone. Sick.
Hey couldnt agree more. The Housing Authorities are very toxic work places to work for.
ARE the Minister’s even looking after their Departments?? No one is ever at CGS (Managers), Finance always waitng for long to get Medical travels, Nunavut Housing Maintenance don’t show up when you make work order….
And teachers in Nunavut. Chances are they have some real horror stories.❤️
WOOOOOO! WE NEVER LEARNED INUKTITUT!!! WE’RE NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO TO POST SECONDARY SCHOOL. WOOOOOO! DON’T BLAME US WHEN WE LEAVE TOWN! WOOOOOO
Finally, someone speaks out.
I get it, the bad nurses fear of being exposed run the good ones out.
I’m so confuse with that article , she said bullying by her coworkers, call over night by her coworkers, mistreated by her coworkers, is all those problems look be created by other nurse and staff working like you probably hired from the same agency why it’s a Nunavut problems , should you complain to your agency instead of GN , do you have been mistreated by local people as like Inuk or permanent residents, it look your problem really came from inside your organization not Nunavut.
Now I’m confused. What is a ‘permanent resident’?
The agencies are NOT the problem. My agency was awesome and always supported me. It was when I worked for GN that things went South. Initially under my first ED, it was great. But then new Directors came in and seemed to be immediately threatened by everything I did, and when I raised harassment concerns (not even about myself, initially) the new Directors started to attack my competency, overtime, everything was under a microscope. Then when a genuine issue arose, their response was to use it as an opportunity to get rid of me as opposed to properly investigate and resolve what was ultimately a difficult clinical situation and false information. But I’ve seen same or similar situations as mine arise involving friends of management, and they of course, help and solve the issue for their friends
Nursing stations have directors? I thought a head nurse runs the health center?
Directors often visit Healthcare centers and are responsible for deciding on the SHP- who are by and large GN employees.
They often bully or abuse agency nurses due to the simple fact they make more- but there’s a significant amount of misfits and malcontents deeply entrenched in both nursing and managerial positions.
I remember actually conducting an investigation into harassment toxic workplace of nurses center in a community back on 2007. It was found to be a toxic work environment and the cause was harassment from one nurse. Everyone was informed that needed to know with the recommendations. It appeared to have taken a long time to process but I believe it was dealt with. Unfortunately after reading this article nothing has really changed for any communities of nursing centers. Long term nurses have been allowed to behave in this manner. Sad
I used to work in manager role and I can say that the directors have one of the toughest jobs in the department of health. they are forced to follow crazy GN policies within broken GN processes. I know I had to deal with workplace conflict and the directors tried their best to address the issues but it was the inexperienced or vacant HR department that was the problem. Months and months of trying to get some sort of follow up from HR only led to increasing frustration and conflict. I don’t think it is far to say that all DMs, ADMs and directors are incompetent when they are forced to follow the broken HR policies and processes. They were just as frustrated with the system as we were on front line. Call on the department of HR to help front line nurses by fixing the HR process!!! things will never get better until HR is fixed
ADMS and DMs are the problem. They cover for bullies, and create situations where conflict thrives. Since they do the agency contracts, and are the point of contact for the companies, any nurse that complains through their agency is simply blacklisted.
Why are you confused? If your charge nurse, manager, director and other nurses that you work with our creating a toxic workplace does that not impact you? If other nurses are creating a hostile work environment and management are not doing anything about it then where does that leave you. It’s not an agency problem it’s a problem with the workplace and your employer the Nunavut government and Ministry of Health and other stakeholders needs to get involved or they will have what’s happening now- a nursing crisis. What is there to be confused about?
“Health Minister John Main said he is not aware”
Come on John, wake up man… this is your department
The Minister does not know is part of the bigger problem.
Someone is not doing their job by not keeping the Minister in the loop or the Minister thinks this was a non issue.
This is just the tip of the ice burg folks…..there are many reasons why nurses do not want to work in Nunavut and the Minister needs to address them ASAP.
John Main you’re in the position of power to change this, what’re you going to do?
Mr. Main is too busy hiring paramedics at a higher wage and better benefits than nurses whose scope is not helping the demand or the nursing shortage. It certainly doesn’t help when ACP are making more money than nurses for a far less scope of practice. The communities don’t even know who they are seeing. ACP see 2-6 max patients a day, and who have increased the workload of the MD’s in Iqaluit where we are now seeing an increased locum usage, due to this dire working condition. ACP are not educated or trained for primary health. The health care being provided is not what the people of Nunavut deserve. There is more than a toxic culture in the department of health, there is gross misuse of healthcare dollars. Nurses are leaving in droves due to directors, executive directors, CNO, ADM, DM who are bullies and would never hold these positions in the south.
Nothing will ever change until the nurses have their own union.
It is kind of ridiculous that the nurses are not only part of the same bargaining unit as unskilled support staff and all other GN staff but also that there has not been any grievances put forward by the full time, indeterminate nurses for the employer paying the much lower trained/skilled paramedics more to do their work outside of the collective bargaining unit. If the GN wasn’t allowed to break this rule then they would have to not only pay competitive rates for their nurses but also deal with the bad management in the health department that we hear of all too often.
They are part of the NEU but different group, different local similar to teachers.
Teachers get he summer off with pay that other locals do not get.
Nurses get large signing bonuses and retention bonuses that other NEU locals do not get
Not quite Hunter
Teachers get paid an annual rate of pay, that they choose to be paid over 26 pay periods as opposed to over just the school year. Either way, they get the same annual pay.
The “school year” (teaching days and PD days) is determined by the DEAs and the Department of Education as negotiated with the teacher’s union.
The other employees are GN employees and are paid per the agreements with the NEU.
Convoluted, of course, but all agreed to by the unions.
Nurses are another beast entirely. Some are unionized employees represented by the Nurses Association (or are they GN employees represented by the NEU) and others are contracted. ( I think and if wrong, someone will correct my assumption).
All I am convinced of is that they ALL are professionals and have provided professional, quality service to me and my family as often as needed.
And, I believe this because we communicate openly and honestly with one another.
Parents need to communicate as professionally and as respectfully as they would expect the professional to be with them.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case as I have witnessed.
Thanks for clarifying.
The GN is relying on agency nurses to fill gaps in service. Who represents these nurses?
This is an opinion only.
Nurse works for the agency that works for the GN.
I assume the agency should be protecting the nurse.
However, unless the agency is nothing more than a headhunter. Again I assume the nurse works for the GN.
Does the nurse have representation from the Nurse’s Association or the NEU or is the contracted nurse left out to hang.?
Generally, no one, not even their agencies. The GN punishes agencies that speak up about abuses by GN staff, usually by cutting hours or contracts.
Teachers get paid only for the 195 days of the school year. Teachers do not get any paid vacation-all “holidays” are unpaid. To ensure teachers are paid all year, our pay is spread out over a full year. We don’t get causal leave, we don’t get paid holidays, no lieu time, we don’t get overtime pay, we aren’t entitled to two 15 minute breaks a day. We often can’t go to the bathroom when we need to. Many Nunavumiut have a hate-on for teachers but most of you have no idea about the reality of our workplace. There’s a reason why schools can’t find people to sub at schools. Because most people find the job way too hard.
I’m very sorry to heard the same problem toronto ontario have.
All nursing homes specially in Scarborough have a very toxic environment even all military who were deployed to help in nursing homes through toronto complained about the toxic environment, harassment, bulling etc, towards staff to residents and staff to staff.
I worked in a nursing home for 5 year feeding very miserable every single minutes because I was discriminated, bullied and sexually harassed by co Worker.
I tried every resource to get help everything Worsened human resources, director care, etc started giving punishment like spending without reason, giving me verbal and written warning for looking for help for speak up.
Even CUPE (Union) no helped me everyone I looked for help go with the employer side.
Until I got mentally very sick in hospital dr advise me to talk and speak with Minister of labor.
Someone in Ministry of labor advice me to talk to a lawyer of human rights because I have to many issues of human rights.
They referred me to a lawyer that I called he took my case.
Finally I feel protected.
Was long process, during the process my employer fired me without rights without any money.
We fight back until they pay me some money before going to court, in the second Arbitration
I left with some money and a trauma to go to work in a nursing home.
Hope government do something about this existing issues to avoid innocent suffering.
Nurses have their own Local. The NEU just has difficulty because nurses also fall under a professional regulatory board that has its own internal processes for harrassment cases. The NEU basically doesnt understand that not all nurses can do all the roles they are being asked because it is out of their scope of practice. They equate harrassment complaints for nurses as being the same as harrassment complaints from non clinical union members without taking into consideration that nurses have a professional responsibility and have a code of ethics that HR takes advantage on mercilessly.
Instead of bringing in ACPs. They should have used their under utilized Registered Practical Nurses. Nunavut needs to focus on bringing them into RANTNU & actually providing education under the scope they have outlined for the RPNs.
Yes the answer to all shortages are LPNs. I have been 20 yrs in the north, a university educated nurse, with advanced assessment courses etc. With experience and education comes expanded scope. Ya wanna be a CHN get the education…these people do not deserve more band aid solutions…perhaps we could expand the scope of practice for the clerk at the coop as well?
Your comment shows how ignorant you really are. Comparing RPNs to a Clerk at the co-op. RPNs are educated, just as RNs are. You sound like you should retire, it’s obvious you have little regard for RPNs. They are nurses too & have a place in Healthcare as every other Health Professional does. I don’t believe the person you replied to stated they wanted to be a CHN. Do yourself a favor and review their scope of practice.
This is my last comment to the foolishness. I have worked with LPNs and well aware of your “scope”. I will say I have worked with some incredible LPNs that I’m in contact with to this day, functioning well in public health roles. It doesn’t matter what your scope is defined as… you need experience and ALOT of education to be competent in health centres which have incredibly sick clients.
20 yrs in my role and I am stumped everyday, consulting, reading, to seek answers. Most days I feel unprepared…but I also love it! I am not jaded and certainly not near retirement. Nunavut ruined me…when prior to leaving I was given the support of LPNs that couldn’t do veinapuncture, assured me the could start IVs and failed horribly, asked me for bizarre orders, had essentially zero responsibility. I juggled babysitting with trying to do my job with my license on the line.
I am in such a better supported place with and not an LPN in site.
Nunavut is a mess, I’m surprised more of the people are not dying from gross negligence. I’ve even had physicians contact me and are frustrated with the state in the territory!
Enjoy that scope
Says the employee who has brown nosed her way through the system….
Yet another toxic nurse showing their true colors and bullying people brought in to help.
ACPs have saved many lives in Nunavut.
Nunavut only allows ACPs to work at 10% of their scope due to nurses being threatened by how equivalent our knowledge is, and many times superior, especially in emergency situations.
I can’t even list the number of times I’ve seen a CHN hide in their office all afternoon and see 2 patients in any given day.
Bullying hmmm…
I have been around 20 yrs as a CHN I have worked in some amazing well run health centres.
The last 10 yrs I have been working in places where the send a nurse because we are drowning.. never been in the north, a PCP, and ACP and am told to utilize, limited scope, don’t know the layout of the health centre, but I am the primary provider and at the end of the day it’s on me and my license. Nunavut will throw all these people your way for help but never orientated, experienced CHNs. They have never offered reasonable job shares, education, orientation. Some support when you are subjected to the worst that life can offer. Travel is a nightmare and sending boarding passes for reimbursement ( because apparently it’s not quite clear that you got on the plane and travelled). The system is flawed.
My apologies LPNs and ACPs…this is not bullying. I’ve seen the north function well long before you. We all have roles. I don’t feel there is much of one for either in primary care.
My point is management continues to repair cracks while the whole damn building is falling down. Fill voids and leave it to the experienced nurses to train utilize and guide along with all other responsibility. Then blacklist when things happen. No thanks Nunavut.
Years ago I was hired by the Nunavut government to work as an LPN at the long term care facility. I’ve been in long term care for over 30 years and have never experienced the harassment that I received from this facility. I am transgender and I’m not sure if this means anything, but complaining is useless. I stayed less than a week.
I love the north and have worked other places, but not like this. The union was absolutely useless in helping me.
Read the reviews before you take a job.
So I guess you didn’t put in for a call in the off hours ??? Just a bit of advice to the ones in between contracts, now is the time to get out or is the free transportation , housing and money too good. They are looking for nurses everywhere. Just saying.
This story could be about every single GN department. The people in these managerial/director/ADM roles allow this to happen and do nothing. No one believes you John Main when you say you had no idea about black listing. People who speak up against the toxic work environments/failure of the GN to change are seen as troublemakers and they are unable to move up the ranks. I see it ALL the time: amazing workers, be it nurses, teachers, tradespeople, manual labourers -they leave their jobs or are forced out if they advocate for change.
Ain’t that the truth. Ask any good talent, heck even bad talent. Ask anyone, they will def have a story. I heard stories of people being overworked, get sick, and some of the management working a fabrication with some of their HR members to make sure the person has to return to work, even when they have the right to some sick time. Just as the article stated, HR does not take complaint seriously. This is the entire GN.
The depts of Finance and HR in the GN are like this. Pushing staff out all the time.As well, the College. Directors and managers who hire their friends, relatives from the south make it hard for local hires. – inuk and long time transients… Staff who are part time workers and in junior positions get pushed out to be replaced by southeners.
The inability of the processes in place to prevail, or work at all, is so demoralizing. I can’t be alone in recognizing similar patterns in my own department. The knowledge that no one has your back, that there is no one to ensure what is right, fair and just will be held up as norms of corporate culture is stressful, especially in a sea toxicity and dysfunction.
My concern with the ‘Roadmap to Strengthen the Nunavut Nursing Workforce’ is that like countless ‘strategies’ before it, it will dress up bundles of wishful thinking in bouquets of flowery language that conceal the absence of any concrete plan of action.
Ps.
Thank you for this Nunatsiaq. I know you have expressed frustration in the past at the wall of silence erected by government. Let’s hope someone responds and commits to a serious effort to fix these problems. I have no faith at all, which I truly hate to admit.
The GN is notorious for promoting “yes people” who are not qualified for the position but are easily manipulated. These managers then become petty and spiteful when legitimate issues are brought to them and God forbid you point out something they didn’t know. Great nurses have been blacklisted by these very managers. The sad thing is it’s Nunavummiut who suffer when their health centres are shut down or they have to settle for a lesser quality of care.
There are also “rules for thee but not for me”. A manager will look you dead in the eyes and say you can’t use the GN vehicle for personal use and then turn around and use the vehicle to run all of their errands.
Absolutely correct! I am so frustrated with the lack of rules and accountability for managers. Its all “hush hush” for what the managers want to do yet we nurses walk on eggshells day in and day out with these very same managers. I am leaving my position because im tired and worn out by this neverending saga of dictatorship and managers who feel they are untouchable.
I spent 10 years working for the GN….first few years were great then over time I realized nothing changes, same old policies, same old managers and same old directors. Nothing changes, same problems day after day, year and year.
It is like the GN is stuck, spinning its tires, flooring it and going no where fast.
The upper management and Directors, once they’ve decided they don’t like you (usually for rocking “their” boat) will start by fine tooth combing through your work, finding minor policy transgressions that had inconsequential outcomes, hyperbolize them and report “practice issues”, suggest you’re incompetent, etc. All the while, nobody has complained. In fact it’s usually the good nurses who point out systemic problems who this ends up happening to.
Unless you’re friends with the regional Director or ED, or their friends…then these policy transgressions don’t matter, exist, or are “learning opportunities”
I truly believe John has heard his share of the stories since becoming the Minister for Health Department, bullying, harassment, micromanagement within the health Department, especially Kivalliq Region is not something new.
I’ve experience being harassed, labeled, defame within the Health Department within the Kivalliq Region. If not by a few local staff, director of population health didn’t hesitate to joined as she runs by gossip and likes to micromanage staff that don’t even fall under her.
Dept of Health Management needs a whole new overhaul. It continues to be a toxic work environment due to management and nothing will ever change!!
The whole GN work force is same as this story, buddies hiring friends from certain part of Canada. the whole GN is a toxic work force and we have known this for years. Now the health care is all part of pacific country as in GN is only for parts of Canada. Marriage is good for these two entities? Do we have entities?…..
I got hired without knowing anyone here. Yes, people hire people they know, and prefer to go where they know people, but that is not everyone.
Fold G.N. and hand the reins back to Yellowknife and Ottawa.🤯
Too many chiefs not enough Indians
ya, if you speak out your screwed. any voice at all that speaks to change or improvement is met with downcast eyes. dept of finance is another example. corrupt from top to bottom.
I think the only Minister of education takes action on all bullies and harrassment, the only Minister that is listening to us Inuit people, would like to see all Ministers take action when they are told to take action, be like minister of education if ministers are reading this, some of you ministers need some advice and watch the minister of education on how she takes actions, I know how it feels being harrassed it’s not cool
Is this Satire?
that is the minister of eia trying to boost the morale of education minister
What an enlightening article,it time nn writers did a story that matter and effect society as a whole.nlca is solely responsible for this toxic fiasco called the GN,when you have all directors Inuit only that’s where the rot starts..these hand picked directors are not qualified,inexperienced, under educated and grossly over paid..
Well I have dealt with a few directors in my time in none of it or is it all of it,they are irate when you don’t agree with thier agenda and question them,they get irate,the little childs minds they posses,get vindictive,do nothing on files,play pocket pool most of the day ,pass gas and think they are the cat meow,one lazy,inept,token hiree 20 plus years on the job and still ,was clueless salary must be $150k plus plus,anther token hired,actually this one is educated,yet was more than a little reluctant to do his job,he refused to do anything,I asked,wouldn’t take calls,so I let him know I have paper work and supporting documents, just 0aid me lip service now my fly was not open and my thingy protruding out,nor did i ask for lip service,i let him know I have optio ns,liaryer and media,ARE YOU THREATENING ME WAS HIS RESPONSE,,LAZY INUIT DIRECTOR IS EDUCATED,AND I BELIVE ACTUALLY QUALIFIES FOR HIS POSITION,, YET DOESNT WANT TO DO WHAT HE GETS PAID TO WHAT $150K TO $200K,JUSTICE SAME,CALLED THE MINISTERS OFFICE BECAUSE gjoa haven legal aid won’t give me even an application for legal aid…twice legal aid lawyers rolled over on me,one guy in trial to save his law career apparently was caught with RCMP FILES,SO I WAS THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB..THE OTHER LIARYER,TOLD ME ITS A HARSH LAND,WHEN HE SENT A HARDHITTING EMAIL DEMANDING SOMETHING FROM THE INEPT.FORMER DIRECTOR SO I COULD MAKE MY LIVELYHOOD AS A DRIVER FOR 14YRS THEN,HAD TO GO TO ALBERTA TO WORK NO ONE WOULD HIRE ME,ON GUY EVEN SHUT DOWN JOB SITE NO STAFF,OF COURSE IT WAS DAY AFTER PAYDAY..KIA DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ME FOR WORK ON GOVERNMENT CONTRACT,I TOOK ON KIA BIG SHOT IN AN NERB MEETING ASKED HIM 4 QUESTIONS, THE COWARD ,BULLY OF THAT DYSFUNCTIONAL ,TOXIC INUIT ORG KIA NEVER SAID A BOO SAT IN A PACKED COMMUNITY HALL WITH HIS HEAD DOWN IN UTTER SHAME,NO QUESTON WAS ANSWERED..THE KIA BUFFOON LOST HIS TOUNGE,BUT THERE WAS NO CAT AROUND..ALL THIS IS ON THE RECORD…CBC WAS THERE ALL NERB MEETING ARE RECORDED..HERE YOUR WEEK AND SPINLESS BOY WONDER, PREMIER
THAT NEVER DONE A HARD DAYS WORK,IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF INEXPERIENCED, OUT OF HIS LEAGUE, THAT FUMBLNG THROUGH HIS TENURE GUYS NOT A LEADER,A SHEEP,THAT FOLLOWS,NUNAVUT IS A MESS ANS GETTING MESSIER,OVER A BILLION€€$$$$$$$,SQUANDERED TO PROP UP A 3RD WORLD BANNANA REPUBLIC ON THE TUNDRA.CHANGE STARTS AT THE TOP,IF THE TOP U AKEEAGOK HAS THE SPINE AND WHEREWITHAL, THAT THE ONLY WAY OR TAKE THESE WASTERS OF MONEY AND TIME,STONEWALL EXPERTS,THAT SPEND MORE TIME AND ENERGY,GIVING PEOPLE THE GEARS,IF THEY ACTUALLY DID THIER JOBS,THEY WOULD ACTUALLY JUSTIFY THIER EXISTENCE AND EARN THIER KEEP…this what happens when things are handed to people that fckn don’t deserve it….for they haven’t earned it..my times have changed
How does this get posted, a highly bigot and foul post.
Click bait, plain and simple. Nunatsiaq turning into Rant and Rave.
Samson, obviously your experience with the Dept of Ed is different from almost everyone else. I’m happy for you. But the DM, ADMs, Dept of Ed, its EDs, Superintendents, and many administrators allow/create incredibly toxic environments and absolutely nothing is done. As well, numerous administrators who rule by authoritarianism (what about collaborative leadership you folks?), create horrible working conditions for all staff and students. And these people never face discipline because the supers and EDs protect them. These people are threatened by staff who know more in some areas, there are lots of male leaders who demean women and complaints go nowhere. This is the same is every GN dept. It’s too bad people didn’t live by the IQ values. For instance, education’s philosophical documents are amazing and it’s really sad that Nunavut schools don’t reflect these documents in the slightest. But I digress.
Have any of these nurses learned Inuktitut? Maybe it would seem less toxic if they provided their services in our language and everybody understood eachother.
Maybe some of you inuktitut speakers could become community nurses. Probably more realistic than southern nurses quickly becoming fluent in a language to work in a territory they will never be accepted in.
Maybe they would feel more accepted in our culture if they tried to learn our language.
It’s kind of a tall order to ask of someone who already might be working like a maniac, 24 hours at a stretch at times, on call half the time, woken up at night repeatedly for calls from people who sleep all day, or by kids roaming the community and making trouble by the health centre because they get away with it there. Plus the abuse they put up with from patients. It would be impossible to learn inuktitut with enough nuance to not need a translator. The last thing you want is a nurse who didn’t understand the important things you are trying to tell him or her, or one who can’t explain what you need to hear with the proper detail. It’s IMPOSSIBLE for people who didn’t grow up in Nunavut to learn inuktitut adequately for a complex job. Yes, I know in the olden days the Bay boys did, but they had a lot more time on their hands, and a friendlier and more functional population (and enough inuktitut to grade and trade furs is easier to aquire than enough inuktitut to explain medical concepts, which even the average inuktitut speaker can’t do.)
If you have to tell a translator about a medical concept and expect them to tell the patient then you should be able explain to the patient yourself in our language. Inuit didn’t have knowledge or any concept of a computer in the old days but we do now. We have modern terminology for almost everything now in Inuktitut. Your refusal to learn our language is disheartening. Your acknowledgement of how patients are frustrated with nurses shows your disrespect for our culture and language.
You really think learning a language is going to stop the abuse? That’s all people are getting mad about is “YoU WoNt SpEaK My LaNgUaGe”? It’s not more than that? That’s going to magically fix all the corrupt actions in the health system?
Or, maybe, and here’s a thought, it isn’t too much trouble to expect all Canadians to take the time to learn at least one of our common languages, you know? It makes common sense given our dependence on others.
Nunavut and its people are not an island, and if we continue to not be able to meet our needs and depend on the rest of the country to provide core services nothing will change. Beggars can’t be choosers, and we are in no position to call the tune when we rely on others.
Until we start training our own professionals it is insane to expect short-term folks passing through to learn a local language.
Why dont young beneficiary adults of Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay learn inuktitut first before you go and ask any non beneficiary to learn it? 🙄
Why would you expect someone in Cambridge to learn Inuktitut?
It would make much more sense for them to be competent in Inuinnaqtun.
All former employees should speak up about their experience to show the MLA’s and Sr Management Team how poor the work environment is within the Government of Nunavut. Keep the stories coming, keep on adding content.
English. Learn it. That’s what schools are for. Reading. ‘Riting. ‘Rithmetic.
Nurses, Teachers are burning out enough as it is. Along with constantly being called “Qabloonaaq.” 💔
Aluki, that’s enough now. Language has nothing to do with bullying. You should know. You were Education DM for a time.
I am a Nunavut Beneficiary, I have worked in the GN for 20+ years in 5 different departments. There have been 8 separate incidents where I have been almost reprimanded by a supervisor or HR because I was “inappropriately flirting”, “acting sexualised” or “appearing visibly disgusted”. Just because I was answering Yes or No to questions by raising my eyebrows or wrinkling my nose. As an inuk I shouldn’t have to be subjected to HR investigations or fact finding meetings just because some colonist/itinerant workers views my culture as insignificant. I would say that the most significant barrier these nurses and other GN employees need to hurdle is the language barrier.
Ya, that never happened.
Can a person ever really know what happened?
How can somebody be “almost reprimanded”?
So Inuit need to step up and become doctors, nurses and teachers them selves.
A lot of nurses would like to take Inuktitut courses. But they have to apply for education leave – which almost always gets denied. Dont blame the nurses – management is rotten.
The ADMs and Directors are the only consistent staff without high turnover, and we have a consistent problem. Are there no consequences for their bad performance? No, they are promoted.
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Anytime these people could be named they are not. These are the same people publishing that they’ll have a retention strategy nearly ready in 2019 https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/new-recruitment-retention-strategy-for-nunavut-nurses-close-to-release/. Still waiting.
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You need to drain the swamp John Main, that means cut the ADMs and Directors loose. They are diverting harassment complaints away and conducting themselves in a way that all nurses and Canada know that Nunavut is a risky endeavour.
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To the nurse in this story I want to tell you that the NWT and Yukon is much better. Many GN nurses have moved over and agree! Much better culture than Nunavut.
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To Jason Rochon I want to say the union was useless to me when I asked for a grievance to be filed. They did nothing but talk to me about it and make informal inquiries to GN HR to a point where the grievance was out of time to be filed. Incompetent and useless.
then you got employee relations. not sure whats goin on over there. some contractor turned up in our department to do an investigation on somethun. they said the event happened a year before he came. LOL
Nope. Grievances have a six month timeline. Employee Relations refuses to address issues that they’d be able to refute based on the collective agreement timelines. The union has to file the grievance, they told me they did but didn’t, which means I lost my chance after learning they hadn’t filed. It just shows you that the union dues paid do nothing for nurses. It did not stop abuse during the pandemic. It does not correct ongoing and pervasive issues with HR messing up hours. Nurses often have their own union in most provinces for this reason. The teachers have their own union in Nunavut for this reason.
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Between hostile management, complacent HR, and an impotent union, nurses just quit. More signup money, better hours, better lifestyle further west. Same pension!
Thank you, ‘Call Them Out. And thank you NN for the investigation.
It is difficult to imagine an organization more incompetent and corrupt than GN – even inside the most third-world affair. EVERY department at GN is toxic – on every level. By toxic I mean corrupt, uncompassionate, incompetent, lazy, incapable. It doesn’t matter which department or which agency, including the local housing associations and DEAs. Housing, Health, Education, Adult Education, Social Services, Environment … It goes on and on and is getting worse – every day, every week, every year, every decade.
LOL, the only other organization that can compete with GN for toxicity (yup, I mean corrupt, uncompassionate, incompetent, lazy, incapable) is the other one you pointed out. NEU. It really stinks!
I have personally dealt with 2 bullies on the Rankin inlet inpatient department that management refused to deal with and joined in on the bullying and harassment. The director didn’t even reply to my email when she said she would after I personally visited her office.
I am a damn good nurse that did more then those two colleagues ever would. Guess who’s still there and guess who can’t get back? Me!
I loved Rankin and spent 7/12 months every year. Because of my love, it had me being tolerable with all the mistakes in finance that would happen on just about my every pay.
My union wasn’t any help.
HR didn’t reply.
Lol. Bye Nunavut!
I’m so jealous.
My counterparts in the south max out at $30 an hour so I’m stuck in Nunavut until I can get the qualifications I need to escape.
Self government nunavut. Not going to work. It was better off as Northwest Territories. Alot of people agree too.
Dear nurses,
You dont have to go that far up north to experience toxic workplace and discrimination in the nursing field. As a old, male, immigrant, experienced health care provider with accent in my language speaking, I have experience the darkest side of discrimination in my career, everything starting in the george brown college during my clinical practices by ignorant nurses “so called” instructors and later at nursing homes, community and so on……
I think the problem is permanent nurses over contract nurses. Their is pay inequity between these two groups. The nurses that are “supposedly” permanent are the ones harrassing the contract nurses. John Main, you need to reverse the pay equity, pay more for permanent nurses, less emphasis on contract nursing, phase it out.
There are not nearly enough nurses who want to sign on full time in Nunavut. The work and living conditions are awful. And nurses with families will not come because of the god awful education system, racism and bullying their children will endure. Until there are enough Nunavummiut trained as nurses, agency nurses are the only viable option to keep even the most basic services.
I think you had read some of the article it is clear that the pay is not the only issue. The pay isn’t work the abuse you have to take in Nunavut.
The nursing world is large but tightly knit. Nurses are in demand everywhere in the world and wages are higher than ever, so why the heck would someone sane pick to practice in an dysfunctional environment where incompetence is rewarded?
It is not enough to say Health or Housing. The entire of the GN has a toxic work environment. You can stand outside any government office here in Iqaluit and the workers leaving at 5 PM look like they just been to a war zone. They all look exhausted and defeated. The toxicity of the work environment is only part for the problem. Over worked, unrealistic deadlines, Work place harassments, bullying, exclusion, degrading, inability to perform your duties due to no direction or someone stopping your forward motion and more. The worst part is you cant do anything for fear of reprisal. GN claims that your name can remain anonymous when filing a complaint but it never is. Word always gets out and things get worse for the complainant. Over 20 years with the GN and it has many many jobs, but very few careers and the more experience you have, the less your valued.
We have seen two wonderful agency nurses blacklisted in the past 2 years, one stood up to bullying, the other was involved in some invesgation of a Director in Baffin and they put her under a microscope. Both were amazing girls and are missed. We also will miss the charge nurse and her longtime companion who were pushed out. For reasons unknown, GN rid itself of a good group of staff that made our community healthy. Thank you ladies, and keep your heads high
If you look at these stories … and get the bit about … it’s just a bunch of people. Whatever is going on … it doesn’t matter, still … just a bunch of people doing whatever they do.
If they are lucky … among them is a leader. If not … you are stuck with a boss.
A slab of ‘beurocratic risk aversion’ … toss in a couple of monkeys?
Not gonna work out.
Nobody’s going to be having any fun.
And if it isn’t fun at least some of the time.
What’s the point.
Seems to me.
Best case is fun most of the time … for that … ur gonna need a leader … and you’re going to have to get rid of the boss.
Toxic is an understatement…
I worked almost 10 yrs in all three regions…I worked tirelessly in a system on the verge of collapse. Unsafe working conditions, unhealthy hrs of overtime, and zero support from above. Indeterminate is not sustainable and an unrealistic option for almost all, therefore casuals fill large gaps, and with that management owes nothing. No support, no education, no rest. With that mistakes happen, errors, interpersonal conflict, favouritism. The immense toll of working in an environment with almost daily verbal abuse/ and violence, human struggle, an unimaginable tragedy weighs on even the strongest of nurses. Management showed no compassion or support for an experienced and struggling nurse. Blacklisted. I was told Christmas of 2020 there were simply “no needs” in the region, as they closed centres or reduced service.
Use, abuse, and abandon was my experience.
No mandatory rest, understaffing, support for critical incidents, working entire days without a break are unhealthy and put all at risk.
Never felt so used and unsupported.
ACP and LPNs are the wrong direction for a crumbling system. Putting more pressure on the overworked and unsupported RNs. Both training and experience are not geared for primary and preventative care, but a Bandaid on the already broken and almost irreparable state of healthcare in Nunavut. The people and patients suffer in the long run without any continuity or consistency with care. Those who can’t do manage, it is clear in Nunavut.
where is the Premier in all this? Why isn’t he making HR, finance and housing do their part? We needed new health centers, more staff housing (that is not falling apart) and more money to hire more nurses years ago but still the GN as a whole is doing nothing to help make things easier for nurses to give good care to Nunavummiut. This is bigger than just the department of health so if you want to talk about retention then all departments need to start doing their part.
Equal to the nursing situation the education system is broken. It too, is full of in-compassionate and in some cases unqualified managers. Furthermore the union is gutless as the leaders are always placating the GN to get a better position in the future. Social promotion is rampant and accepted. There is no vision in the education department. It does not serve students well. I am here now, but counting the days to leave.
I recently left Nunavut, and don’t regret it a bit. I wish I had done it years earlier.
Well, I’m still here, but I was fortunate to arrive in Nunavut (NWT then) during much better times. If I arrived today I’d get out again within a month and would never look back.
I feel for you. Nunatsiaq should maybe pry into the Justice department if you want a real story. The toxicity, harassment and sheer idiocy is honestly outright dangerous for the inmates as well as the staff.
Illegal detentions, outrageous lengths of pre-trial detention, lack of communication between ACHF and the Courts … it’s wild in there.
I’ve also heard that a lot of people and businesses are having trouble retrieving judgement debts in Nunavut because the Court has made the garnishment process almost impossible to navigate.
I don’t know all the directors at Justice but I know that the Court director was replaced at the NCJ by someone who, by my best guess based on what I know of him, will be an excellent yes-man for the Department.
2021 November;
a) I followed the procedure( in person, i confronted and raised issues and improvements, i see and wanted to see. b) I wrote letter(s) along with the workers about these issues that were happening in our workplace.
c) INSTEAD: the formal boss started to harass me, mentally and privately. d) the formal boss set up camaras to see if I look for false evidents e) the formal boss would sneak up on me and startle me anywhere because he stalked me in the building. f) the formal boss then worked with my co-worker to play evil tricks on me to get me into trouble g) the rcmp even started to follow me around town, stalked me, even to church because my formal boss tracked my cell phone. h) I wrote letters, complaints and issues about all of this to the DEA, KSO, NTA, Minister of Ed. (Rebecca H) Deputy Minister( Pamela G). ONLY they wrote back and said they will do an inveatigation. Up to date, no response and the superintendent had no interest and only believed the formal boss. I) i tried to get treatment to talk to the mental health nurse who is friends with the rcmp and so i stopped going. J) Plus the DEA chairperson at that time is my enemy(personal issue) and so the chairperson and the formal boss made plans to ruin me. K) and so i resigned
M) TODAY: my formal co-workers refused to even talk to me and plus, the formal co-workers no longer speak to me.
Reb H left Quluaq School in an absolute disaster and is a major contributor to toxicity that southerners face; completely un-Tunnganarniq. Pam is part of the good ol boy’s club from NS. Her previous work experience was at a visitor’s centre. Never give up on your dreams… just your schooling and dignity
Let’s be honest here! Most of the issues in the GN is the deep rooted toxicity pertaining to Harassment related to Discrimination. You have Inuit that don’t want southern people (non-Inuit) coming to Nunavut taking the jobs that they feel they should have. You can’t blame them, after all that’s why they signed on to the Nunavut Agreement.
Unfortunately, for some Inuit they tend to retaliate against those non-Inuit and it can quickly becomes very ugly which often becomes a mobbing exercise to get those people out., if they don’t like them Senior management is conditioned to allow it due to Article 23 obligations related to the numbers of Inuit staff working in their department, so they don’t want to rock the boat for fear of those same employees may complain against them, or leave reducing their percentages.
Sadly, then you have southern nurses coming in that are here to help save lives and they likely deal with issues in the workplace in an effort to meet this important mandate. They probably don’t initially realize the double standard that the GN allows based on race and they apply southern based rules which tend to get them into trouble. Ironically enough, which is a discriminatory practice in itself. Hence you have a chronic issues with toxicity in the workplace.
It is not only the Dept of Health, it happens in every department. Also, you have the Dept of HR who are not property trained to conduct a proper investigation as they are biased and have their own hidden agenda and the concept of procedural fairness goes out the window. Training is key to educate southerners how to manage Inuit employees in the GN, as well as training for Inuit to take on these important roles. Maybe as a start, the GN HR should staff their own department with qualified staff. Workplace wellness is falling through the cracks and have been for a long time. This would be a positive step to assist the GN as a whole moving forward to deal with this important issue.
Deep rooted toxicity; Inuit retaliate due to superiority complex held by any non-inuk who happen to land in Nunavut. Lone Ranger and Tontoo relationship is long gone…If your coming up here and expecting of being superior, go home; you’re in for big disappointment. Bigger and more forceful entities have tried to defeat us, RC, Anglican and Government schools….we’re survivors of these atrocities, yes bring your attitude but be prepared to be hurts and be hurt in all forms…
Nunavut is scary? I’ve been to Vancouver many times; Vancouver East Side is not scary? Winnipeg North End, WPG Main Street, Edmonton Skid Row is not scary? North Battleford is not scary? Worst of the worst; Thompson MB is not scary??? Inner cities, they’re not scary??? Many unhappy formers are just piling info for large out of court settlements in ALL departments???? MAYBE. Eeee it is customs Inuit employees should look into, it’s happening too often and wow’…Sunshine states here we come…Just a mindless opinion.
I heard the same sentiments regarding social work and nursing in Nunavut, Yukon and Great West Territories. Social workers are bullied, they are managed by inexperience management laced by nepotism and politics. The burn out is ridiculous and their is no overtime and workers are working around the clock. It’s as if they request people to work their, entice them with good salaries and treat them awful after and trap them in contracts so they can’t leave. Very scary. It’s not only nurses and it’s not only Nunavut.
It’s been happening here at the QEII in Halifax for years now. Many managers a few years from retirement power tripping and don’t even know what their employees that they manage do in the run of a day. An empliyee was told “nobody wants you here”. Emails, phone calls to management to discuss concerns go unanswered. The only time we ever hear from management is they are putting more work on you or you’re 5 minutes late. I have known managers that have blacked out with a permanent marker on someone’s performance review because the employee disagreed over something mentioned in the review. The manager pretty said “fine, I’ll take it out I can’t even be bothered to discuss this”
Please Nunatsiaq, PLEASE. interview some of the nurse labor force at QGH but ANONIMOUSLY, and you’ll learn of many mistreatments we have to endure from management. Som of us, nurses won’t talk to avoid being targeted by management but do it anonymously and you guys be surprised.
Please interview us anonymously. We are terrified. The toxicity and systemic racism within this hospital is horrifying.
What an interesting article, when department of health ADM and CNO I manipulating the system and as rightly said they will never get these jobs in down south , the DM Stocky Colleen and her minions were toxic bunch of bullies and were successful in getting rid of many good nurses in Nunavut. They played a role in terminating the chief coroner because she was exposing their wrong doing.
The Justice Department is a jock with old boys club. As you said a YES man is the director of court services, he was a security guard at the hospital , what education and qualifications does he have? When he was sheriff, he used to wear a rank of commander, no one seems notice and asked the Yes man.
John Main , you should know what’s happening in your own department , how come you do not know black list and I am sure they do not have this as policy? GN is lacking in police’s and procedures. Hope you will learn from Yukon and NWT. They have good system to investigate critical incidents, make changes to quality of services provided to patients.. If you have toxic women holding DM /ADM and CNO position then all complaints goes to garbage. Get these women’s out and have a cutler of positive working enviournment to foster in Nunavut. Because of your inability to see friend and family is been hired in higher positions, you will never change and in turn the loving and caring Nunavimmuit are suffering with caring hands.
speaking of education what education or qualification does the kivalliq distric director of kivalliq have?
Which director are you referring too? As Health has many director in each region.
A better title “the GN is scary”, nunavut and nunavummiut couldn’t be more beautiful.
Health is beyond toxic, QGH is the worst for nurses but the health centres are the worst for patients. Nunavummiut are suffering because of their own elected politicians, DMs and ADMs!!
The statistics show that Nunavut is a very scary place…
What should be studied are the rates of PTSD of people who have left or remain in positions in NU such as healthcare, social work, education and law enforcement. Although these occupations tend to be stressful regardless, the ever-present threat of violence compounded with having to handle long hours in seasonal darkness and having to pick-up the slack for incompetent or vacant positions increases the likelihood of developing long-term stress and anxiety disorders. Teachers in our schools, are seeing lateral student violence daily, student to staff violence often, staff to staff issues, and the erratic and unpredictable behaviours of unstable parents on a frequent basis.
Don t listen to some disgruntled workers,they are everywhere now,bad workers being fired or black listed,you made your bed sleep in it.
blacklisting is a form of retaliation and if this happens to you, you should seek legal advice because you can sue for that and you will likely win. I do not expect nurses to embrace me and be my bff when I arrived in a small community. It is work, eat, sleep but there is a basic level of respect that is expected. The safety is subpar in my experience, very subpar. Orientation is a joke and again I do not expect two weeks of orientation but two days would have been nice, or one day. The GN nurses who complain about agency nurses should grow up. Honestly, who cares… we work together. We should be grateful for help up there. There is dire need for a mental health facility there and if they make it, make it big with a considered design. Stability will look different in such a facility than a medivac south where they are reduced to a diagnosis without the story or history of trauma explored. So they return from a week or two down south and back in the home where the web of trauma expands. Very sad.
WHAT DO WE WANT?
A REVOLUTION!
WHEN DO WE WANT IT?
WE WANT IT NOW!
REV REV REV REVOLUTIONNNNN!!
UNITED FOR CHANGE!
The GN is a very toxic work environment. There is no doubt about this.
HR does not do enough to promote workplace health and safety and to also strongly denounce harassment, discrimination and oppression of staff. As a matter of fact, many of the people working in HR are toxic themselves.
The GN overworks health professionals to the ground and expect them to tolerate the abuse and horrible workplace treatment. If you dare speak up against the toxic work culture, you are punished and blacklisted.
I really wanted to work in Nunavut but I could not deal with the toxic work place environment anymore so I left after years and years of being abused and having no safe place to go.
If you are Casual and make a valid complaint, your Manager will unfairly blacklist you and ensure you never get hired again on another contract.
If you are permanent and file a valid grievance through the NEU, HR and your Manager will find a way to force you out by making your job miserable although there should be no retaliation against staff for filing a grievance.
HR protects toxic Managers and a lot of the people in leadership at the GN are toxic and narcissistic.
I hope GN employees eventually take a stand and sue the GN for workplace harassment and abuse. Strike, revolt, speak up, file a complain or grievance through the NEU and sue the government and take back everything they stole from you. GN staff deserve much better.
The Social Workers and CSSWs are also dealing with the same thing as the Nurses…probably worst because CSSWS do not get the same financial incentives as Nurses do (sign on bonuses, etc).
Family Services is one toxic department and the turn over rate for social work is so high for the same reasons! Some very toxic managers, EDs and Directors have made that Department horrible as well.
Yes, working at a health facility is not healthy. I work for department of health with many people gossiping, many co workers that talk about other co workers, many co workers that harrass other co workers, we talk to our manager and nothing seems to happen.
when is HR going to stop this? when is senior managment will stop this? GN department of health is not the best.
Nurses should also stop complaining about their work environments, and start thinking about all the privileges that come with their jobs. You have way more privileges working for the Department of Heath, compared to us working for the Department of Family Services. Maybe it’s time to suck it up. Always complaints.
Sorry but babysitting kids and preparing affidavits for court is not really something that warrants sympathy. I have worked with social workers in Iqaluit and was underwhelmed by their attitudes to foster kids.
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When someone actually dies in your arms come back and talk to the nurses and tell us we are complainers to simply ask for some respect.
The “welcome to…” sign in the photo.
Hamlet spelled “Rectum” wrong.
Not…”center”…..😂🤯
Everybody knows Nunavut is where the federal government sends whistle blowers to be reformed into behaving and keeping our mouths shut for the greater good. If your in Nunavut and in a toxic environment it’s likely you pissed off a privileged employee that has friends in Ottawa. And now you have just embarked on your new psychologically imprisoned life where you will be educated in the federal way of thinking and working after 7 years you’ll wish you was dead