Manitoba auditor general says abuse in care homes occurred, investigations flawed

Manitoba’s auditor general says there have been cases of physical or sexual abuse in personal care homes that have been the subject of flawed investigations and wrong conclusions.

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In a 41-page report, Tyson Shtykalo calls for changes at the Protection for Persons in Care Office, which investigates allegations of abuse and neglect in health-care facilities.

The report says the office has deemed that some allegations do not meet the definition of abuse when victims are punched, slapped, kicked or sexually assaulted.

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The report also says there is a backlog of complaints dating back to 2018, and some investigations don’t start for more than three years.

The auditor general says the office hasn’t produced annual reports since 2016 and has not publicly reported the outcomes of its investigations.

In response, the Manitoba government says it recently changed the definition of abuse and neglect and is committing to implementing all of the report’s recommendations.

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