Winnipeg media want inquest live-streamed online
p2pnet view P2P:- Winnipeg media want the inquest into the death of Brian Sinclair (right), a wheelchair-bound First Nations man who, says the Winnipeg Free Press, waited for 34 hours in the Health Sciences Centre ER unit without being treated, live-streamed online.
“His death made national headlines and raised concerns about the quality of ER care and the treatment of aboriginals in the health-care system”, says the story, quoting lawyer Bill Olson as stating:
“This inquest, and the negative media attention that has been generated, apparently has resulted in staff being yelled at more frequently with threats of being killed, and a discernible increase in racial comments and accusations.”
His submission is part of a motion being argued in provincial court today, says the story.
CTV, CBC, Global and APTN want to record witness testimony during the inquest, which will “also examine emergency-room care in Manitoba”, it says.
The four want a single pool camera to be used, and “They also want to live-stream the proceedings on the Internet, an argument the Free Press is supporting in court”, says the newspaper.
But a camera could “dissuade some nurses from testifying” says the story, quoting an affidavit in which Manitoba Nurses Union president Sandi Mowat says the inquest, if televised, would appear on three large TVs in the hospital’s ER, “forcing distressed staff to turn them off for the duration of the inquest”.
“It would simply be impossible for the department to function in the midst of a live TV broadcast of department staff testifying at the inquest,” she says in the document.
“Conservative critic Kelvin Goertzen says nurses may oppose the camera because they are afraid to openly criticize government policy”, says the Winnipeg Free Press, adding:
” ‘It speaks to a larger problem that nurses are afraid to speak,’ he says.”
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Winnipeg Free Press – Media seek camera in court, March 12, 2010
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March 14th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
This is very distressing and I’m of the opinion that “Live” is both unhelpful and unnecessary, one victim has already suffered but with the stress of being on national tv its likely sensationalism will take the place of honest and sincere investigation and the staff will become yet further victims albeit of a different method of suffereing.
Extremely thorough investigation yes, show-trail methodology no.