“(The MLA) has not brought forward to senior management, a single complaint containing a specific scenario or situation, which would indicate racism or incompetence. He has not provided any evidence to substantiate his claim that I am ‘killing people.'”
– Nurse Jennifer Patterson
The NWT Legislative Assembly’s Integrity Commissioner has found the MLA for Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh, breached a provision of the Code of Conduct.
Richard Edjericon should be reprimanded and fined for a “continuous campaign harassing” the nursing staff at the health centre in Fort Resolution, resulting in a 30-year veteran nurse being temporarily terminated from her job, stated a release and the report.
Integrity Commissioner David Phillip Jones investigated a complaint and concluded Edjericon breached a provision of the Code of Conduct after he, “mounted a campaign based on innuendo, hearsay and rumours,” to have the Nurse-in-Charge fired and removed from the community.
“The lesson to be taken from this unfortunate situation is that there are limits on what a Member may do, and how they may go about what they do,” stated the Commissioner.
NWT Integrity Commissioner David Phillip Jones. (Photo courtesy of Anglican Foundation of Canada)
“Being a Member is not carte blanche to make or repeat unverified and unfounded allegations. Members have an obligation to inform themselves about the facts. It is inappropriate for a Member to orchestrate a campaign for an employee of a public body to be transferred, suspended or terminated.”
In December 2022, the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority suspended the nurse with pay pending an external investigation into allegations of unethical and unprofessional misconduct.
The nurse filed a complaint with the Integrity Commissioner in July 2023, stating Edjericon’s poor conduct started since he took office in a by-election in the Spring of 2022. He was re-elected in the fall 2023 territorial election.
In her letter to Commissioner Phillip Jones, nurse Jennifer Patterson stated Edjericon’s unfounded actions tested her personal safety and the left the health centre short-staffed through the 2022 holiday season, which had a ripple effect on staffing at other health centres, placing patients at risk.
“I was forced to leave my home in the community and find alternate accommodations while this matter is investigated. This has significantly impacted my physical, mental, and financial well being. I was unable to attend health care appointments as scheduled in the NWT and I was forced to try to find alternate providers out of territory to address my health care needs. I was also forced to secure alternate accommodations outside Fort Resolution,” she stated in her letter.
“As a result of these threats, it became clear that I would not be able to return to my home or my job. This necessitated my immediate move from the community for my own safety. In order to do this, I had to arrange an RCMP escort in and out of the community to collect my personal belongings. This was terrifying and incredibly stressful. I filed a complaint with the RCMP regarding these threats.”
The Integrity Commissioner’s external investigators reported in February 2023 that none of the allegations against Patterson was substantiated.
Interior of the new Fort Resolution Health Centre just before opening in June 2018. (Photo courtesy of ARCAN)
“Overall, we do not consider Edjericon to be a credible or reliable witness,” they stated.
The report stated Edjericon takes issue with the way the external investigation was conducted, and vehemently believes its procedures and processes employed were flawed from the beginning. He does not agree with the external investigators’ conclusions.
The nurse’s suspension was ended, and she was reinstated to be Nurse-in-Charge at Fort Liard in the Dehcho Region, but went on medical leave and now resides outside of the NWT.
In a letter sent from his lawyer’s office on Friday, Edjericon stated he accepted the findings in the Integrity Commissioner’s report and pledged to use it “as a template” to help guide his actions into the future.
“My future actions will be guided by the Commissioner’s findings. I acted and continue to act with only good intent, without malice and with the interests of those who elected me foremost in my mind,” he stated.
“As with any new MLA, I was learning on the job and anxious to do the best possible work for my constituents. I acknowledge that I could have done things better and commit to doing so into the future. This has been a learning experience and I believe has made me a better representative.
“I pledge to my fellow members to perform my duties with this incident behind me and commit to my constituents in particular, to zealously advocate their interests. I will contemplate the findings of the Integrity Commissioner over the next while and use it as a template to help guide me into the future.
The Speaker will table the Commissioner’s full report during the upcoming sitting of the Legislative Assembly.
The Assembly may order the imposition of the punishment recommended by the Integrity Commissioner, or it may reject the recommendation.
Edjericon’s by-election win came after the previous Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA, Steve Norn, resigned just as the Assembly voted unanimously to have Norn expelled, and his seat declared vacant. This mostly for breaking his isolation protocols around COVID-19, and misleading the public about it.
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UPDATE: (October 11) The story has been edited to make clear the nurse was temporarily suspended from her position. More background information from the full report was also added for this web version of the radio script. Edjericon’s letter was also added.
