The nation says the nurse — who is from Calgary and an integral part of the Cormorant Island Community Health Centre — was taking her regular walk home when she was assaulted.
‘Na̱mg̱is First Nation says it has banished a visitor from their lands after they allegedly attacked a travel nurse on Thursday night.
The nation says the nurse — who is from Calgary and an integral part of the Cormorant Island Community Health Centre — was taking her regular walk home when she was assaulted.
Two youths who were in the area at the time intervened, and the nurse is now recovering from her injuries, the nation said in a statement.
‘Na̱mg̱is said its chief and council convened for an emergency meeting on Friday and unanimously voted to banish the visitor from all Na̱mg̱is land, a decision that the nation says is “wholeheartedly” supported by the village of Alert Bay and the Whe-la-la-u Area Council.
“The leadership would like to express their support to the victim and wish her a speedy recovery. Council would also like to extend their sincere gratitude to the two youth that intervened at risk to their own safety and well-being, and to the witnesses for their continued support during and after this traumatizing event,” the statement said.
The banishment is the first to be publicized since Homiskanis Don Svanvik was elected chief of ‘Na̱mg̱is in May.
Alert Bay RCMP did not immediately respond on Saturday to a request about the incident.
Cormorant Island Community Health Centre is one of two health-care service delivery centres on Cormorant Island, the other being the nation-operated ‘Na̱mg̱is Health Centre.
Operated by Island Health, the centre has four acute-care beds, 10 long-term care beds and an emergency department that has been closed overnight since 2023 due to a lack of staffing.
The centre was built in 2002 for $5.6 million on land donated by the ‘Na̱mg̱is to replace St. George’s Hospital, which had previously provided health care in the region since 1909.