(Montreal) Joyce Echaquan’s family is claiming nearly $2.7 million in damages and punitive damages from the CISSS de Lanaudière, Dr. Jasmine Thanh and nurse Paule Rocray for all the actions that led to the death of the 37-year-old mother.
Posted at 12:41 p.m.
Joyce Echaquan died on September 28, 2020 at the Joliette hospital in disturbing circumstances where her state of health was incorrectly assessed, while the prejudices surrounding the Aboriginal clientele had led health professionals to judge that she was in withdrawal from narcotics. A video shot by M.me Echaquan had caused a shock wave across Quebec and even in Canada, video where we could see that a nurse showered him with racist insults while Mme Echaquan was unwell.
Suing the Integrated Health and Social Services Center is an anomaly, but the family’s lawyer, Mr.e Patrick Martin-Ménard, argues that the CISSS had been notified at the end of the work of the Viens commission, of the problems of systemic racism at the Joliette hospital.
A report on this subject had been submitted to the CISSS, but the latter had done nothing to change the situation at the time of Mrs.me Echaquan, according to the reproaches contained in the lawsuit, filed Thursday morning.
Carol Dubé, spouse of Ms.me Echaquan, spoke emotionally at the press conference to give details of the lawsuit, saying he was seeking some form of healing for him and all those affected by the death of his wife. He said things have to change so that no one has to go through what Joyce went through and so that she didn’t die in vain.
Carol Dubé and Atikamekw leaders Sipi Flamand and Constant Awashish denounced the Legault government’s refusal to recognize systemic racism, believing that the death of Joyce Echaquan clearly demonstrates it. Mr. Dubé again denounced the comments of François Legault according to which the problems were solved at the Joliette hospital, which is inaccurate, according to him.