Police say woman using washroom videotaped by doctor

A family doctor in New Glasgow is accused of secretly recording an explicit video of a woman using the staff washroom at the clinic where he's employed, according to New Glasgow Regional Police.

Dr. Rafid Al-Nassar, 41, was arrested Tuesday at the Westside Medical Clinic and charged with voyeurism. It's alleged he "surreptitiously" recorded the woman in the washroom and captured images of her genital and anal area in March, according to a court document.

Const. Ken MacDonald said police were tipped off by someone at the clinic nine months ago and seized a recording device. Investigators have worked since then, assisted by the RCMP, to analyze the recordings on the device and identify a suspect.

Al-Nassar has been released from custody and his medical licence has been suspended.

Staff started using public washroom

The news of the charge upset Megan Clarke, who was recently at the clinic. She noticed it was "weird" that the receptionist used the public bathroom.

"I thought, 'Hmmm, that's a little strange that you would walk all the way out here.' I figured they would have their own staff bathroom," she said.

MacDonald said police have contacted everyone whose images were captured on the device that was seized in March. But investigators seized additional tech equipment on Tuesday and are now reviewing it to see if there are more secret recordings. Police are not ruling out the possibility of more charges.

Concern in the community

News of Al-Nassar's arrest has prompted more than a dozen calls to police, said MacDonald. People have asked whether they were secretly recorded, while others want to know what they should do now that their doctor has had his licence suspended.

Dr. Al-Nassar, who is originally from Iraq, moved to Nova Scotia from Ontario where he was not licensed to practice medicine. He was recruited for work in Nova Scotia under a now-defunct program meant to address the doctor shortage in rural communities.

The Clinician Assessment for Practice Program, CAPP, recruited approximately 100 international doctors over 10 years and was hailed as a success. The program, operated by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, was shut down last year after an annual review of its quality assurance.

Many patients now without a doctor

Elwood Reid drove to the clinic once he heard Al-Nassar's doctor's licence had been suspended.

"I went three years without a doctor and I got him, so I just want to know what they're going to do for his patients."

A spokesperson with the Nova Scotia Health Authority said Dr. Al-Nassar's patients with the most urgent needs can go to the Westside clinic to be seen by another doctor. But non-urgent patients will have to go to a walk-in clinic for now while Westside staff make longer term arrangements.

Al-Nassar is due in provincial court in Pictou on Dec. 5 for election and plea.