Manitoba doctor who sexually harassed patients could face long prison sentence

A prosecutor is calling for an 18-year prison sentence for a Manitoba doctor who sexually abused seven patients.

Prosecutor Renée Lagimodiere says Arcel Bissonnette abused his position of trust in an outrageous manner.

Bissonnette was convicted last year of sexually abusing five patients and pleaded guilty earlier this year to sexually assaulting two more patients.

The court heard that the assaults occurred during physical examinations that Bissonnette conducted over a 20-year period in a region southeast of Winnipeg.

The defense is demanding a nine-year prison sentence on the grounds that Bissonnette has lost his medical license, complied with bail conditions and has good prospects for rehabilitation.

Some victims, whose names are protected by a publication ban, said at the verdict that the attacks had left them with long-term fear and anxiety.

“How can I ever trust another doctor again?” one woman said in her victim impact statement.

“I should have felt respected, but I felt violated,” another woman said, adding that she froze in panic when she later encountered Bissonnette while shopping.