Suspended Wasaga Beach physician Dr. James McInnis to lose his licence after sexual abuse finding
Warning: Content in this article may be disturbing to some readers.
Dr. James McInnis, a former Angus and Wasaga Beach family doctor, will lose his licence after he was found to have sexually abused a patient and his nurse by The Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal.
The decision, based on a balance of probabilities, concluded McInnis was more likely than not to have committed sexual abuse by having inappropriate sexual relationships with his nurse and his patient following more than a month of testimony by several witnesses in October more than four years after the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario suspended McInnis.
Tribunal Findings
According to the Tribunal, McInnis was found to have engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional conduct by pursuing a sexual relationship with a patient to whom he provided narcotics and used the drugs and also having sex with another patient's fiancée, whom he impregnated.
The Tribunal found he also failed to maintain the profession's standard in handling medications and in his care and treatment of patients.
The Tribunal believed McInnis had sexual intercourse with his practice monitor nurse, who was put in place following a previous suspension by the College, which ordered the nurse to be in the room at all times while McInnis treated female patients.
The Tribunal also believed McInnis tried to interfere with the College's investigation by asking a patient to lie to the College.
Suspensions
McInnis abruptly closed his offices in Angus and Wasaga Beach in November 2019 when the allegations surfaced, and his licence was suspended. Signs posted on his office doors informed his patients he was taking a personal leave of absence.
McInnis was suspended by the College three times between 2011 and 2019. The first suspension was following a sexual assault investigation while serving as a medical officer in the military at CFB Borden in 2010.
McInnis faced nine charges, including four counts of sexual assault. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually harassing patients and was suspended for three months.
- Download the CTV News app free to get local news alerts
- Don't miss breaking news - Sign up for the CTV Newsletter
Not long after, while working as an emergency doctor at a local hospital in March of 2011, McInnis was accused of inappropriate behaviour toward a nurse and suspended in 2013 for two months.
McInnis has paid more than $7,000 in penalties to the College and now faces even more and, ultimately, the automatic loss of his licence for at least five years under the Regulated Health Professions Act after being found to have committed sexual abuse.
Defence lawyer Seth Weinstein told CTV News, "Dr. McInnis is very disappointed in the decision but as the matter remains before the Tribunal, we will not be making any further comment at this time. "
The Tribunal noted McInnis remains suspended until its final penalty order is handed down in March.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977053.1721909931!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Sick to my stomach': People grieve Jasper National Park by sharing favourite photos
As an out-of-control wildfire roared through Alberta’s famed Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday, many are fearing the worst as officials warned of 'significant loss' within the area.
DEVELOPING Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Sale of envoy's NYC condo 'expected to exceed' $9M: government
The current official residence for Canada's representative in New York City is 'being readied for sale,' according to a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
'I'm so broke': Two Toronto women speak out after losing $76,000 in romance scam
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Loblaw, George Weston to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500-million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.