Will the Legault government be able to ask health network employees to take into account the “cultural and historical realities” of Indigenous people in “all interactions with them” without recognizing the existence of systemic racism?
The question, which divides Indigenous representatives and the health sector, is likely to come up in the consultations on the bill on cultural security in the health network, which begin on Tuesday.
For the Dr Stanley Vollant, there is no doubt. “We must name the elephant in the room “the elephant”, and not the big-eared pachyderm,” says the man who will be visiting Parliament on Wednesday.
Bill 32 was presented in June by the Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière. It notes in its preamble that “Indigenous people must be distinguished from other users since they form nations with a distinct history and culture.”
The legislative offensive responds to a recommendation from the commission of inquiry into relations between Indigenous people and certain public services in Quebec. This commission, chaired by retired judge Jacques Viens, requested that the notion of cultural security be enshrined in the Act respecting health services and social services. This principle serves in particular to create safe and welcoming environments for Indigenous people, many of whom experience racism and discrimination in the Quebec health system, as demonstrated, among other things, by an investigation by the Duty in 2021.
Judge Viens, moreover, will come out of his usual reserve to come and discuss the bill in the National Assembly. “Since the report was published, many media outlets have contacted me, but I have always refused to give interviews,” he explained to Dutythis time agreeing to be quoted briefly.
However, since Bill 32 takes into account the recommendation that his own commission made, Mr. Viens accepted the invitation. “I felt a duty to come, both for the Aboriginal people and for the minister, who is taking a concrete action,” he said.
After Joyce Echaquan
The bill was tabled almost three years after the death of Joyce Echaquan under racist insults from the nursing staff at the Joliette hospital.
From the preamble, the text cites the Joyce Principle, which aims “to guarantee all Aboriginal people a right of equitable access, without any discrimination, to all social and health services”. Although cited, this principle is not recognized by the Legault government, since it requires recognition of systemic racism.
In their brief, representatives of the community of Manawan — where Joyce Echaquan lived — denounce the balancing exercise carried out by the government. “Let us remember that in order to make concrete changes in a society, we must first and foremost recognize a problem,” it says. To do this, Quebec should “recognize, adopt and implement the integrity and completeness of the Joyce Principle by inserting it within the framework of a specific bill”.
Tanya Sirois, executive director of the Regroupement des centers d’ endamientis du Québec, emphasizes that recognizing systemic racism is “important for healing.” However, given the urgent needs, his organization took the challenge of supporting the bill and proposing solutions and… systemic changes. “We say: how can we expand this approach so that it has positive influence everywhere? Whether in schools, courthouses, in all state services that an Indigenous person frequents,” she says.
The government’s objective is “very laudable”, underlines the Dr Flying. “But let’s name the problem underlying this,” he maintains, recalling that the Order of Nurses of Quebec (OIIQ) and the College of Physicians recognize the existence of systemic racism. In his opinion, it is also imperative that Indigenous people sit in decision-making positions in health establishments and that awareness among health workers goes beyond the 90-minute training that is currently offered.
In an interview, the president of the OIIQ, Luc Mathieu, rejects comments that overwhelmed healthcare staff do not have time to devote to cultural safety. “ [C’est surtout] to embody it in what we are as a caregiver, when we approach someone from an indigenous community,” he explains.
Mr. Mathieu welcomes Minister Lafrenière’s initiative. “Security is a process. The end goal is safety. So, for the minister to be involved in a process, for me it is positive, because it will last. It’s not fair to say: check ! »