WINNIPEG – The Manitoba government wants a federal investigation into two men switched at birth at a Norway House hospital.
Luke Monias and Norman Barkman were born on June 19, 1975 at Norway House Indian Hospital. Their mothers took the wrong children home.
They grew up in the remote fly in First Nation community of Garden Hill and became close friends. Eventually they began to notice they resembled each other’s family more than their own.
“I’ve been hearing rumours and stories that we got mixed up at birth and I didn’t take it seriously but after a while I wanted to find the truth,” said Luke Monias.
The results of a DNA test proved that they were taken home by each other’s families 40 years ago. “That’s what I wanted to know for a long time ago. I feel relieved, I feel happy,” said Barkman.
Though there is a sense of relief for the two men, there are also feelings of anger and frustration.
Barkman’s biological mother is dead and Monias’ father passed away five years ago, “I missed out on a lot of years knowing my biological family,” said Monias.
WATCH: Provincial aboriginal affairs minister calls Manitoba switched at birth incident a ‘gross error’
Northern Affairs Minister Eric Robinson hopes a federal investigation would shine light on what errors were made in the hospital when the two boys were switched, “This is a case of stolen identity of two innocent children.”
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