Medical residents leak emails to support human rights case

A University of Ottawa medical resident is alleging he was kicked out of the program in retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint against a faculty member. Waleed AlGhaithy, and two other medical residents, held a press conference Wednesday to release more details about a complaint they have filed with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal against the university. Prior to his dismissal, AlGhaithy says that he filed an internal complaint against university neurosurgeon Eve Tsai.

The three residents, all of whom are from Saudi Arabia, released emails, allegedly sent between senior faculty, that they say supports their case. One message stated that "If the complaint against [Dr. Tsai] is dismissed there are going to have to be some significant consequences for the involved parties (dismissal/suspension) or we are going to be facing this ad infinitum." Another referred to AlGhaithy as "a real destructive force within the program."

According to the Globe and Mail, the university is reserving comment, and is waiting until the human rights hearing before making its case. "The university feels that’s the proper forum where we will speak out,” a spokesperson said.