Executive fired by departing CancerCare CEO

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This article was published 28/02/2025 (242 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CancerCare Manitoba’s outgoing leader unceremoniously fired a fellow executive on the day she announced her early resignation — a move that could send a “chilling effect” throughout a provincial agency that has denied allegations of a toxic and punitive leadership culture.

Jim Slater, CancerCare’s former chief of research administration and operations, confirmed his contract was terminated by president and CEO Dr. Sri Navaratnam last Friday, just hours after she revealed she would leave the agency months before her contract ends in December.

Slater, whose term was not set to expire until April 11, said he was blindsided by the news, which was delivered by phone while he was out of province.

“My concern is being terminated abruptly,” Slater told the Free Press Thursday. “(But) I’m more concerned for the people who are doing a great job. Research had recovered and was growing, Manitoba was on the map and bringing in monies and projects, and then — boom — I’m gone.”

Slater, 69, said Navaratnam recruited him to oversee research and clinical trials within the CancerCare Research Institute in the spring of 2023 — a time when the agency was struggling with such initiatives.

He signed an initial one-year contract that was later extended twice. He believed things were trending in the right direction, he said.

Slater said he did not know why his contract was terminated early, and declined to speculate on Navaratnam’s motivations.

The Free Press asked CancerCare Manitoba for comment Tuesday on Slater’s departure. A spokesperson responded the next day, saying the agency “does not provide comments regarding human resource matters.”

Slater’s name, photo and biography were quietly removed from CancerCare’s website after his contract was terminated.

The move comes amid mounting allegations of a toxic workplace rife with distress, burnout and perceived mistreatment from management outlined in a scathing report published in December from physician-advocacy group Doctors Manitoba.

The document was the result of a months-long review that found physicians were unwilling to speak out about issues inside the agency, fearing retaliation from executive leaders.

“People are worried Jim’s departure is part of a final retribution tour from the outgoing CEO, and doctors and others are being warned to keep their heads down,” a source close to CancerCare told the Free Press Thursday.

The Doctors Manitoba report recommended the Manitoba Ombudsman look into several serious allegations about inappropriate conduct by senior administration, which could include breaching the organization’s code of ethics.

Doctors Manitoba did not detail those allegations but noted they are beyond the scope of its authority to investigate. It has referred them to the ombudsman.

A spokesperson for Doctors Manitoba said the organization learned of Slater’s termination earlier this week, “after receiving several calls from concerned physicians at CancerCare who appreciated Mr. Slater’s support with their research.”

“While we don’t know any more about this departure specifically, we are concerned it could have a chilling effect on physicians coming forward with information and concerns at the same time the provincial ombudsman’s office is looking into serious allegations, especially because physicians don’t have the same protection as public-sector employees under whistleblower protection laws,” the spokesperson said.

Slater said he did not personally witness the allegations outlined in the Doctors Manitoba report, but confirmed there is a sense of distress inside the agency.

“You can definitely feel and see the impact of the allegations, the investigations and the reporting of it. You can feel that,” he said.

Slater said he fears the allegations have caused concern among CancerCare’s patients and donors. He stressed his faith in the quality of care and research provided by staff within the agency is unwavering.

Before joining CancerCare, Slater served as the chief provincial diagnostics officer for the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia. He also worked as the CEO of Diagnostic Services Manitoba, and chief operating officer and provincial lead of health support services with Shared Health.

Navaratnam will officially leave her role following a board of directors’ meeting on April 17. The search for her replacement has been ongoing since November.

The CancerCare board has appointed Donna Turner to serve as interim president and CEO until a permanent replacement is hired.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca