Discussions

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-men-switched-at-birth-1.3317638  
 

these cases are always hard but despite the statements in the article switched at birth has happened before, more then a few times even. I also dont think it was racially motivated as it has happened to all cultures  
 
Im never sure how they deal with the knowledge as it would be very very hard on both families the only thing that i think makes this story slightly better is that the two men grew up close so while the biological parents didnt get to raise them they did get to know them and see them grow, im sure that will help fill the hole that this mistake has caused, i also do think they are owed an apology and to know why and what systems back then allowed for the mistake to happen

Traveller, I want to say first, that I agree with what you said. This (switching at birth) probably happens more than we know. But when I hear things like "stolen identity" and "they called upon the federal government to launch an investigation", they are making it sound like it was some conspiracy or something. These men should be happy that they found out the truth and get on with their lives. What will an investigation of a forty-year-old event do? (If it's even possible to find out what happened there on June 19, 1975.)

the investigation is going to show is that there was a mistake that happened 40 years ago. Chances of the nurses or staff remembering those individual births and what exactly went on 40 years ago is likely zilch. That is if they can be tracked down today.  
 
And a mistake like that could happen anywhere and has happened in the past.

i agree they may not get the full answer but if it were me i would want to know as much as possible, know what systems were in place that didnt happen or what ones werent there to begin with that now are, they may not get the full details but some would hopefully help them understand and move on

The Norway House hospital was run by the federal government when these men were born. The Feds are the only ones who could look into this - asking the RHA to look into an incident at BRHC would be equivalent to asking the Feds to look into this one. It's not because it's a bigger issue that it goes to a bigger government - that's who ran the hospital. Unfortunately, the chances of records being found is slim, and what actually happened may never be known.

I am assuming that an inquiry would identify ways to prevent future errors for MANY facilities (if not already implemented) and to ascertain the potential of any other 'switches' that may have taken place. Inquiries don't necessarily equate conspiracies.... just bettering processes sometimes.