Professional conduct reports – September 2025

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Recent hearing outcomes

Dr. Robert Dickson sanctioned after admitting to unprofessional conduct

After a hearing in January 2025, Dr. Robert Dickson, a family physician from Calgary, was sanctioned by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal for unprofessional conduct.

When commenting on water supply fluoridation in 2017, Dr. Dickson publicly impugned the credibility and integrity of specific medical and dental colleagues. This does not align with the standards outlined in the Canadian Medical Association’s Code of Ethics and Professionalism, which requires physicians to treat colleagues with dignity and as persons worthy of respect.

A past decision from the Supreme Court of Canada requires tribunals to conduct a proportionality analysis to ensure rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) are balanced with the applicable standards of conduct. In this case, the Hearing Tribunal took careful and explicit steps to balance Dr. Dickson’s Charter-protected freedoms of thought, belief, opinion and expression with the professional responsibilities that come with being a regulated physician.

The Tribunal acknowledged a physician’s right to participate in social and political discourse, while recognizing that this must be balanced with a responsibility of maintaining the public trust by upholding ethical standards, particularly around civility and respect toward colleagues. The Tribunal’s full, written decision can be reviewed on CPSA’s website.

Dr. Dickson acknowledged that his conduct towards his colleagues was unprofessional and the Tribunal accepted a joint recommendation on sanction, ordering the following:

• Dickson will receive a caution.
• At his own cost, Dr. Dickson must complete an online course on influence and advocacy.
• Dickson is responsible for a portion of the costs of the investigation and hearing, totaling $6,250.

Dr. Obaid Afridi sanctioned for unprofessional conduct

Dr. Obaid Afridi, a general practitioner from Grande Prairie, was sanctioned by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal after a finding of unprofessional conduct.

At a hearing in 2022, Dr. Afridi was accused of three allegations of unprofessional conduct. The Hearing Tribunal found Dr. Afridi guilty of one of the allegations of failing to comply with CPSA’s Patient Record Content standard of practice. The remaining allegations were found to be unproven and dismissed by the Tribunal.

The Tribunal reconvened in January 2024 and again in February 2025 to consider submissions on sanction and costs, respectively. After hearing from both parties, the Tribunal ordered the following:

• Afridi will receive a reprimand.
• Afridi is required to pay a fine totalling $6,000.
• Afridi is responsible for a portion of the cost of the investigation and hearing, totaling $5,000.

The Tribunal’s written decisions on sanction and costs can be reviewed in full on CPSA’s website.

Dr. Ashif Shiraz Jaffer sanctioned for failing to meet expected standard of patient care

Dr. Ashif Shiraz Jaffer, a family physician from Medicine Hat, admitted to unprofessional conduct and was sanctioned by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal.

When assessing a patient in the emergency department at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital in 2021, Dr. Jaffer attributed the patient’s abdominal pain to dehydration and heat exhaustion, discharged the patient without adequate medical evidence to support that decision, and failed to record a discussion of the risk of discharge in the patient’s chart. More details are available in the Tribunal’s full, written decision on CPSA’s website.

Dr. Jaffer acknowledged that he failed to meet the expected standard of care and displayed a lack of skills and knowledge in his provision of medical services. The Hearing Tribunal accepted Dr. Jaffer’s admission of unprofessional conduct and a joint submission on sanction, which includes the following:

• Jaffer will receive a reprimand.
• At his own cost, Dr. Jaffer must complete professional development courses on quality improvement, patient safety and clinical reasoning.
• Jaffer is responsible for 25 per cent of the costs of the investigation and hearing.

Dr. Stuart Wilkinson sanctioned for failing to meet expected standard of patient care

Calgary family physician Dr. Stuart Wilkinson admitted to unprofessional conduct and was sanctioned by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal.

In April and June 2021, Dr. Wilkinson used his authority as a physician to order a blood test and an abdominal ultrasound for a patient he had never met, who was being treated by a naturopathic doctor for whom Dr. Wilkinson was consulting. Dr. Wilkinson did not follow up or arrange care based on the patient’s test results, as he believed the naturopathic doctor would do so, and failed to create any record of his involvement or the reason for ordering the tests. Additional details are available in the Hearing Tribunal’s written decision.

The Hearing Tribunal accepted Dr. Wilkinson’s admission of unprofessional conduct, as well as a joint submission on sanction, and issued the following orders:

• Wilkinson will receive a reprimand.
• At his own cost, Dr. Wilkinson must complete a record-keeping course acceptable to CPSA’s Complaints Director.
• Wilkinson’s practice permit will include a condition prohibiting him from ordering any laboratory test or diagnostic imaging for a person he has not accepted as his patient and would be responsible for if follow up was required.
• Wilkinson is responsible for the costs of the investigation and hearing, totalling $10,000, to be paid in 12 equal monthly installments or on terms acceptable to the Complaints Director.