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By Susan McNeil

Health care security

First Nation’s Ombudsperson calls for inquiry into hospital security 

Jan 26, 2026 | 1:56 PM

An ombudsperson office created by Saskatchewan First Nations is calling for an independent inquiry into how security is handled at hospitals.  

The First Nations Health Ombudsperson Office (FNHOO) said it has 20 serious cases on its desk, and given the recent death of a Prince Albert man in a Saskatoon hospital, they would like a full inquiry.  

Trevor Dubois was in Saskatoon receiving chemotherapy for a brain tumour. He had been in an altercation with hospital security staff before he died on Jan. 9. Saskatoon Police said several days later that they found both methamphetamine and an imitation firearm in his hospital room. Dubois’ family said that the imitation firearm was actually a lighter shaped like a gun, and he was not known for violence of any sort.

“Trevor was already a client of ours back in September regarding treatment he had already received in the healthcare system,” said FNHOO ombudsperson Diane Lafond. “That’s appalling. That’s concerning.”

The FNHOO was created by First Nations chiefs in Saskatchewan and was mandated by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in the province. Lafond said since her office opened in 2023, there have been about 550 complaints made.

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In the weeks following Dubois’ death, the provincial NDP released multiple statements regarding the amount of weapons being brought into hospitals by patients and physical threats and assaults on staff.  

READ MORE: Metal detectors will go into some Saskatchewan hospitals after concerns were raised about the amount of weapons brought into hospitals.

Last week, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) announced an independent review is to be conducted into safety and security at hospitals in the province. Lafond said they want an investigation completely independent from the ministry and SHA, and it should include First Nations voices, especially from the families of victims.

“We’re demanding change. We don’t want to take our families into the hospital and them leaving in a body bag. That’s not how it should be.”

When it comes to changes, Lafond said they want to see hospital security wearing body cameras and security footage in hospitals kept for more than a month.

-With files from CKOM

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com