The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) criticized the Legault government on Monday for “abusing” the good faith of the Aboriginal peoples, after the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) dismissed three recommendations of the Viens and Laurent commissions in ten days.
” The plan [d’action gouvernemental] which the Minister responsible for Indigenous Affairs has been surfing for months is sinking,” the AFNQL wrote in a press release.
In ten days, the government brushed aside a recommendation from the Viens commission aimed at setting up a national ombudsman for Aboriginal students. He then renounced his commitment — inspired by this same commission — to include the notion of cultural safety in the Act respecting health services and social services. Finally, he refused to unconditionally abolish time limits for placement in Indigenous communities. These delays correspond to the length of time a child can stay in an alternative environment before being moved.
The three decisions of the government go against the recommendations of the Viens commission and in the third case, of the Laurent commission on children’s rights and youth protection as well.
The commission of inquiry into relations between Indigenous peoples and certain public services in Quebec (Viens) left the government with 142 calls to action in 2019. The CAQ recognized in September 2021 “the need to engage vigorously in this construction site”, for which it has reserved 200 million dollars.
Now, its three setbacks in the face of the demands of the Viens Commission are perceived by Aboriginal groups and the opposition as “slaps in the face” or a “systematic denial” by the government of the realities specific to members of the First Peoples.
“We are losing hope”
In a press release with the title “We are losing hope”, the AFNQL criticized the Legault government for its “relentlessness” in “limiting the governance capacity of our leaders”. It is neither more nor less than “colonialism at its best”, wrote the head of the organization, Ghislain Picard.
“Here there is a flagrant abuse of our good faith and especially that of our experts who have spared no effort and energy to support the work of the various commissions which have had to look into these issues”, he said. – he added on the subject of youth protection issues.
In addition to the issue of placement times, Quebec is challenging – in the Supreme Court now – a federal law (C-92) supposed to allow indigenous communities to detach themselves from the Department of Youth Protection. “The protection of young people is a matter for the Quebec state,” declared the Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, in particular on March 16. He refused to say whether it was possible for an Aboriginal community to completely free itself from the DYP, advancing instead that the negotiation of agreements was “the way to go”.
In the opinion of the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Ian Lafrenière, the challenge to C-92 is however “in no way a refusal to recognize the autonomy of the First Nations”.
After the Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois, Québec solidaire on Monday asked the CAQ to “take seriously” the “cry from the heart” of the AFNQL. “Despite all the fine speeches and fine promises of the CAQ, the government continues to maintain a paternalistic attitude towards Aboriginal peoples. Minister Carmant says he recognizes that the Aboriginals are the best placed to take care of their children, but yet he refuses to integrate most of the recommendations made by the Aboriginal representatives to better take into account their reality,” denounced Manon Massé.
She urged the CAQ to “reach out to the Aboriginal peoples and make a concrete commitment to the path of reconciliation”.