The Legault government must renounce its “colonialist and paternalistic” approach and recognize the existence of systemic racism if it really wishes to introduce cultural security into the health network, argued Tuesday the College of Physicians of Quebec (CMQ).
The president of the CMQ, Dr Mauril Gaudreault, had tense exchanges with the Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière, at the opening of consultations on Bill 32. He notes in his preamble that “Indigenous people must be distinguished from other users [du réseau de la santé] since they form nations with a distinct history and culture.”
“In the diagnosis, for me, there is the recognition of a problem. I know this makes you uncomfortable. We are uncomfortable with the situation. You are with the word,” said the Dr Gaudreault to the minister. “I think we need to recognize systemic racism in the health care system. To correct a situation, you must first recognize it. »
The minister said he found the CMQ’s position “strong[e] in coffee.” “You consulted four people, I toured the 55 communities [autochtones] “, he launched. The importance of recognizing systemic racism to establish an approach to cultural safety divides Indigenous people and the health care community.
To (re)see: Reconciling Indigenous people and the health system
“Intersectional”, “colonial”
In front of Mr. Lafrenière, the representatives of the CMQ used terms that cause discomfort within the Legault government, such as “intersectionality”. “The word “Indigenous”, in your bill, is written with a small “a”, as if the Indigenous people were not a nation in their own right,” even noted the Dr Gaudreault. The minister committed to correcting the spelling of the word.
The CMQ considers that Minister Lafrenière’s bill is “characterized by a colonialist and paternalistic approach”, in particular because it was not written with Indigenous people and that it “presumes[e] what would be appropriate and reassuring for these populations.”
Like the Order of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ), the organization is also concerned about the language used in the legislative text. The bill thus proposes to “adapt, where possible, the provision of health and social services” through safe practices, such as the hiring of indigenous staff, staff training or access to support resources, for example.
“We are of the opinion that this language minimizes the content and scope of the bill, while the cultural security approach is intended to be essential,” argued the OIIQ in particular, in a position similar to that of the CMQ.
“I understand that it is a weak term,” admitted Minister Lafrenière.