The union representing care workers in Alberta is publicly condemning the provincial government for its failure to enact critical workplace safety recommendations. These recommendations came from a judge's inquiry into the tragic 2019 murder of a Calgary care worker, Deborah Onwu.
A Fatal Night and a Judge's Urgent Call
On October 25, 2019, a horrific act of violence took the life of Deborah Onwu, a 47-year-old Family and Youth Counsellor. While working at a Wood's Homes facility in the 1800 block of 27th Avenue S.W. in Calgary, Onwu was stabbed 19 times by an 18-year-old resident, Brandon Newman. Newman later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2021.
In response to this tragedy, a fatality inquiry was held. In a report released in September 2025, Justice Karim Zaher Jivraj issued a clear directive. The judge urged the Alberta government to introduce new legislation specifically designed to prevent similar workplace tragedies from occurring in the future.
Government Inaction Sparks Union Outrage
With the fall session of the Alberta legislature concluding, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is expressing fury and profound disappointment. The union states that the United Conservative Party (UCP) government has no plans on its agenda to address the judge's lifesaving recommendations.
"We're deeply disappointed and heartbroken that the UCP has just moved forward and ignored these recommendations," said CUPE Alberta president Raj Uppal. "It just shows that this government has no care for care workers and the respect, safety and basic human rights that everyone deserves."
Uppal emphasized that the recommendations carry significant weight, as they "come directly from a judge who has examined the circumstances of Deborah's death in full detail." The union has followed up with the government multiple times but claims to have received "no response" and sees "zero plan" for action.
Broader Implications for Worker Safety
The case of Deborah Onwu, who held a degree in psychology and had substantial experience in Calgary and Ontario, underscores a pervasive risk. Uppal argues that if a highly trained professional like Onwu was vulnerable, countless other care workers with less experience face even greater dangers daily.
"Workers in care settings face some of the highest risks in the province, and they deserve better protections," Uppal stated. "Every worker deserves to go home at the end of their shift." The union's condemnation highlights an ongoing tension between worker advocacy groups and the provincial government over the pace and priority of legislative reforms for workplace safety.
