INTERVIEW: Dr. Dave Evans

Dr. Dave Evans is the medical director of Trauma Services at Vancouver General Hospital. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at University of British Columbia. He was at the Role 3 hospital from mid-January to mid-February 2008. Watch the interview online.

Gillian Findlay: You had some contact with Afghanistan, because you knew people who were coming. What was their reaction when you told them you could come?

Dr. Dave Evans: Well I know a nurse that I work with in Vancouver was of Afghan origin and I just let her know that I was coming and just asked her what she thought about that. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but I think I was a little surprised to find that I'm not sure she was enthusiastic about the idea that I was here. Just underlying the reality that this is a complex problem and people have lots of different views on what's getting accomplished here.

Gillian Findlay: What did she say to you?

Dr. Dave Evans: Nothing actually, nothing more than that, just that there are many ways to look at this and she's not sure that things are going to go the way we would like them to in the west. That's very realistic, I didn't go into deeper detail than that. It made me understand what I've always understood, that this a complex problem.

Gillian Findlay: It didn't deter you, it didn't make you reconsider?

Dr. Dave Evans: No and neither did she. She didn't say that I shouldn't do it, just that it's more complicated than most westerners can simply understand and I'm absolutely sure that that's true.

Gillian Findlay: Do you think you have a unique perspective being a civilian here, because you know the truth of the matter is you talk to the military people, especially those who have been here for some time and it's very clear in their minds that this is worthwhile, that it's winnable and it's exactly what Canada should be doing.

Dr. Dave Evans: I think the soldiers do what the soldiers are told to do and I think there job is not to think about it politically, it's to simply carry out the job that they have to do and I understand that. I don't expect to have a political discussion with the soldiers that are here. They can't have any doubt about why they're here, otherwise they'll be in trouble right? So I don't you know, I haven't engaged…I'm not engaged in a political discussion about this, we decided to come and offer medical support and that's all that we're doing.

Gillian Findlay: But you have the luxury of thinking, don't you?

Dr. Dave Evans: Sure we do, absolutely and you know, people have every right to engage me on that you know. It may be a political statement in some people's minds. It's not intended to be a political statement, which I think is what counts. I'm here to back up the army and their going to back up the government and not just ours but a whole gamut of governments who think this is the right thing to do. You know that's how the world works, I support that kind of democracy you know and I'm ok with that. I hope we do the right thing by that. That nurse that I talked to and I hope that one day she'll thank me for having come here rather than not be so sure that it was a good idea.