WINDSOR, Ont. - The threat of workplace violence weighs heavy on the minds of Ontario's front-line health-care workers following the brutal murder of a Windsor nurse by a colleague doctor, a representative of the Ontario Nurses' Association said Wednesday.
"We've had too many incidents, and this incident has certainly triggered a real concern and interest in nurses across the province,'' said Lawyer Elizabeth McIntyre, who attended a pre-inquest hearing into the death of Lori Dupont.
"When they get confronted with a threatening situation they think about Lori Dupont. They think about the risks to themselves and their coworkers.''
Dupont was stabbed to death by her former boyfriend, anesthesiologist Marc Daniel, at Windsor's Hotel Dieu Grace hospital, where they both worked, on Nov. 12, 2005.
Daniel was found just hours later slumped behind the wheel of his car. He had injected himself with a lethal overdose of medication and died three days later.
On Wednesday, Dr. Andrew McCallum, regional supervising coroner for Eastern Ontario, granted the nurses' association and six other parties standing at an inquest scheduled for early October.
The inquest will review events surrounding the deaths and examine domestic-violence issues.
The others granted standing are Dupont's family; Daniel's widow; the hospital; the Ministry of Labour; the Windsor Crown attorney's office and the doctors who oversaw Daniel's return to work after he attempted suicide.
"We want to figure out through this process, and use this tragedy to see, if there are solutions that can be put in place to prevent similar tragedies in the future,'' McIntyre said.
Eric Siebenmorgen, chief counsel of the coroner's office, expects 50 witnesses to testify at the inquest, which will be held in Windsor. He said the process could take about two months.
"We have a really really tragic set of circumstances that has brought us here,'' said Siebenmorgen. "We want to deal with that sensitively and with compassion and empathy for the loss that has been experienced, really by all of the families that have been touched by this.''
The lawyer for Dupont's parents and two siblings, Greg Monforton, says the family is seeking more protection for nurses.
"Nurses face a higher level of violence from co-workers and doctors than others,'' said Monforton, who also represents the family in a wrongful death civil suit.
"We hope that by the end of this inquest everyone will have a better understanding of how and when the system failed Lori.''
McCallum denied the application of Dupont's fiance, Norbert Hirth, because he said it was too similar to the interests of the family's submission.
Hirth, a Windsor firefighter, told the coroner that Dupont was carrying his child when she was murdered and they were planning on getting married.
McCallum told Hirth that impact statements were not considered in the inquest and urged him to collaborate with representatives for Dupont's family.
"It is understood that members of a deceased family as concerned individuals, having a close affinity relationship, would speak with one common voice to avoid duplication of cross-examining of witnesses, questioning,'' said Siebenmorgen.
"Unfortunately, based on the information that Mr. Hirth provided today, Dr. McCallum simply wasn't satisfied that there was a distinct interest that would give him separate standing.''
Any party can make an application for standing at any time before or during the inquest.
McCallum is still considering an application from the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres. He told representative Michelle Schryer he would have a decision by next week.
