The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) has issued a statement after screenshots made by someone impersonating two Alberta doctors recently resurfaced on social media.
The posts were originally made in 2021 from fraudulent social media accounts where the poster claimed to be Dr. Michael Laffin and Dr. Phil Tran.
The CPSA said it was notified by the physicians that year about the accounts, and released an official statement on the posts on March 5, 2021.
The CPSA says it subsequently received a formal complaint about Laffin as a result of the content of the post.
The complaint was dismissed, as Laffin showed evidence that the account did not belong to him and he had taken all possible steps to report the account and have it removed.
“It’s disheartening to see these comments resurface as racism and discrimination have no place in health care,” the CPSA said in a news release on Wednesday.
“The comments seen on the screenshots are deeply disturbing and harmful to Indigenous peoples.”
The CPSA says anyone who needs support after reading the statements should reach out to the following resources:
- The Indian Residential School Crisis line: 1-866-925-4419
- Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 (or chat online at hopeforwellness.ca)
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (toll-free)
