Lawyer considering options after SHR tubal ligation apology

Less than a week after apologizing for coercing women into getting their tubes tied, the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR) could be facing legal trouble.

One of the seven women who came forward with a story of coerced tubal ligation has retained Maurice Law to look into her options.

“The report speaks for itself in many ways,” Associate Alisa Lombard said, referring to Thursday’s release of a 56-page external review of the SHR’s tubal ligation practices.

“We were supportive of our client’s position from the beginning.”

She said the details in the report raise obvious questions about whether her client’s rights were violated.

“There’s significant cause for concern … with respect to Indigenous women and their choice, or what ought to be their choice, in terms of reproductive rights,” she said.

The report described accounts of women going to Royal University Hospital to deliver babies, and being pressured to sign consent forms for the sterilization procedure.

Some women described “scare tactics,” while others said they were left believing the operation was reversible if they decided they wanted more children.

While Lombard currently only represents one of the victims, she said she would be “open” to hearing from others looking for a lawyer.