Doctor charged with sexually assaulting 6 patients had been barred from seeing some female patients alone

A Manitoba doctor now charged with six counts of sexual assault was under restrictions for almost two years, which said he couldn't be alone with female patients in some situations.

A required notice posted in Dr. ArcelBissonnette'soffice and examination rooms in Ste. Anne, Man., informed his patients that afemale attendant must act as a chaperone whenever he conductedabreast or pelvic examination of a female patient.

On Thursday, he was barred from practicing medicine oncehis criminal charges came to light,theCollege of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba said.

But before then, the regulatory body was aware of at least one complaintthat prompted it to demanda female chaperone in the room for some exams beginning in 2019.

Dr. Anna Ziomek, the college's registrar, said she cannot say why this restriction was placed on the doctor,due to The Regulated Health Professionals Act,but said their response was considered appropriate based on the information it had.

"Whatever matter we reviewed, we felt that this was the most reasonable and appropriate restriction or conditions that we could put at that time," she said.

The college moved promptly Thursday to pullhis licence to practice as itbecame aware of the police investigation and subsequentcharges, Ziomek said.

His profile no longer appears on the college's website.

"What always goes through your mind is how devastating this is for the patients that had to endure this kind of treatment by a physician, by somebody who was placed in a position of power and privilege and chooses to use that for their own benefit."

Bissonnette, 61, has beenaccused of sexually assaulting six patients from 2004 to 2017. He worked at Ste. Anne Hospital and Sainte-Anne Medical Centre in Ste. Anne, which is about 40 km southeast of Winnpeg.

TheSte. AnnePolice Service said it's asking anybody with further information to come forward as it wants to ensure no other victims exist.

Condition was in 'interest of public safety'

As for the initial restriction imposed by the college, "it's not difficult to infer," Ziomek said, that concerns were brought forward and a conditionput on his practice "in the interest of public safety."

Despite a documented concern, he was still allowed to practice.

Taylor Wigston saw the notice requiring a chaperone when she went to visit a different doctor atSainte-Anne Medical Centre in 2019.

"Obviously, it made me a little uneasy," she said.

"I'm surethey didn't want to post that unless they felt like they had to."

Wigstonunderstands there are investigations and protocols,but she wishes the clinic was forthcoming to patientsabout the initial complaint. She questions if a few notices plastered on some walls was enough.

"IfI was going to see him,I would want some kind of heads-up."

When asked to respond to concerns the college didn't level a strict enough penalty at the time, Zimoek said the college responded with a measure it deemed satisfactory based on the evidence. The college had no evidence thatBissonnette breached any conditions of the condition.

She said the college did not approach police about the complaint it received.

In any instance whenanadultpatient feels a physician's conduct wascriminal in nature, Ziomek said it is left up to them if they want to get the police involved.There are some cases where the college would encourage it, but it wouldn't go "above their head," she said.