Nurse believes she was fired for criticizing Chatham-Kent Public Health's anti-abortion connections

A veteran Chatham-Kent Public Health nurse has been fired, and believes it was because she spoke out against the southwestern Ontario health unit's connection to an anti-abortion service provider.

Carolyn Martin was terminated last month, roughly a week after speaking with CBC News about CK Public Health listing Refuge as a resource for women and families. The private organization, founded by Right to Life Kent, is run by a director with "pro-life" views, facts that aren't always clear to pregnant teenagers and adults before entering.

Martin, a CK Public Health nurse for 20 years, disagreed with the health unit's affiliation with Refuge, saying she felt compelled to speak out after trying to effect change internally for years.

Officially, the 54-year-old lost her job because she didn't provide a sick note, according to emails from a human resources officer. But Martin believes her termination is linked to her going public about her opposition to some CK Public Health policies.

She said she doesn't regret her decision to speak out.

"Maybe there will be change. Who knows," said Martin. "But I won't be there to see it if it happens and I'm OK with that."

April Rietdyk, chief executive officer of CK Public Health, said the organization will continue its relationship with Refuge and other organizations that may have views on certain subjects such as abortion. Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health nurses provided breastfeeding classes inside the Refuge building.

The vast majority of places in Chatham-Kent that help marginalized and vulnerable people are faith based, Rietdyk said. The health unit provides women and families with a list of those places, and she said they don't direct people to specific ones.

She said CK Public Health doesn't "take sides on any political agenda" and it's the health unit's responsibility to "provide services where those services are needed."

However, the health unit's list doesn't let people know what organizations have anti-abortion connections.

"Let's give women some credit that they are able to navigate and make those choices," said Rietdyk. "I think you're underestimating the in-depth assessments that happen between the nurse and those families."

Refuge's website doesn't make any specific mention of its anti-abortion connections. Someone would have to arrive at the front door to see Right to Life Kent and Life in Motion signs attached to the building. Life in Motion's website says it stands for "defending pro-life" and "there is no protection for the unborn."

Martin said she felt strongly about speaking out against all of this, but believes her firing put her in an "impossible situation" she couldn't avoid.

She said she received an email at 6:34 p.m. on Dec. 15 saying she required a medical note for absences that exceeded three days. Martin said she called in sick before the start of each scheduled shift she had. and since she was a part-time worker, she wasn't getting paid for those days.