A 16-year-old from Pimicikamak Cree Nation says he was forced out of a hotel connected to Manitoba’s largest hospital while he was still recovering from leg surgery.
Nicholas Robinson said hotel staff asked him and his mother to leave while they were waiting for a follow-up medical appointment in Winnipeg. He had surgery at the Health Sciences Centre and could not walk after the procedure.
Robinson said staff began removing his pillows and tried to get him out of bed while he was in pain.
“I told them I could do it myself, but they didn’t give us enough time,” he said. “I didn’t even have time to get my shoes.”
His family had booked the hotel through supports provided by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch. Pimicikamak leaders say the family was waiting for approval to extend their stay when the removal happened due to an administrative delay.
Videos shared by the family appear to show a man telling them they had passed checkout time and could not stay without paying a deposit. Security guards were also seen outside the room.
Pimicikamak leaders are calling for an investigation, saying Robinson was in a wheelchair with stitches running from his knee to his ankle and should have been treated with care.
The hotel company said it is reviewing the incident and security reports to understand what happened. Manitoba’s health minister said officials are looking into the situation and have offered support to the family.
