(Quebec) The absence of members of the First Nations on the new committee on the development of hockey of the Legault government does not pass in the eyes of certain Aboriginal leaders. Former hockey player Joé Juneau, who was particularly involved in the Far North, accuses Quebec of “missing the boat” and “ignoring” the First Nations and the Inuit.
Premier François Legault on Thursday presented the mission of a brand new Quebec hockey development committee, chaired by former National League goalie and RDS analyst Marc Denis. The committee will be made up of 14 Quebecers who have had a career in hockey, whether on or off the rink, but no representative of the Aboriginal communities is present.
An absence noticed by First Nations leaders. The Innu chief of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, Mike McKenzie, did not fail to criticize the composition of the committee on Twitter.
PHOTO JULIEN CHOQUETTE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION, PRESS ARCHIVES
The Innu chief of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, Mike McKenzie.
“Kuei, I don’t understand why there isn’t a First Nations person on the committee. There are native experts who have played in the [Ligue de hockey junior du Québec] and the [Ligue nationale de hockey] and you know that there has been racism in hockey in arenas in Quebec, ”wrote Chief McKenzie under the Prime Minister’s publication.
Indigenous Senator Michèle Audette also made a comment. “Another missed appointment,” she lamented.
Former hockey player Joé Juneau for his part strongly criticized the Legault government on his Facebook page. “Knowing how important hockey is to young aboriginal people, isn’t there one who even thought of involving aboriginal representatives to make their recommendations for this supposed revival?” He wrote.
PHOTO FACEBOOK PAGE OF JOÉ JUNEAU
Mr. Juneau is particularly renowned for having created a hockey program for the children of Nunavik.
“The government has once again missed the boat by ignoring the Inuit and First Nations, yet this is something so important to thousands of young aboriginal people. And it’s not a question of making them professional players, but rather of giving them an equal chance, of including them, of helping them, of respecting them, ”he adds, deploring in passing that the government Legault “persists” in not recognizing the existence of systemic racism.
PHOTO ROBERT MAILLOUX, ARCHIVES THE PRESS
Joé Juneau warming up before the game between the Boston Bruins and the Canadiens at the Montreal Forum, Wednesday February 17, 1993.
The Legault government wants to “relaunch hockey” in Quebec. The independent committee will have to look at several aspects of hockey: accessibility, infrastructure, women’s hockey, welcoming newcomers, retention and training of coaches and officials. Marc Denis insisted on the importance for the committee to place “the young person, the athlete, the student, the hockey player” at the center of recommendations and decisions.