The day after the first chiefs’ debate, the Atikamekw Council of Manawan (CDAM), the Atikamekw Nation Council (CNA) and the spouse of Joyce Echaquan protested against a comment by François Legault. He said during the debate that “the problem that happened with Mr.me Joyce [Echaquan] at the Joliette hospital, it is now settled”.
This is not what his political opponents think, nor the main interested parties in the Joyce Echaquan affair, including her spouse, Carol Dubé. In a letter sent Friday by his lawyer, we even learn that Mr. Dubé has wanted to meet with Mr. Legault for two years to discuss systemic racism, but that the latter has never satisfied his request.
However, the Prime Minister had affirmed, during the debate, to have met Mr. Dubé. The spouse of Joyce Echaquan responds rather that the only time he met Mr. Legault, it was in “fortuitous” circumstances, during the visit of the pope.
“Mr. Dubé never told the Prime Minister that the situation was ‘resolved’,” reads the letter. Mr. Dubé also affirms that with the appointment of Guy Niquay, an Atikamekw from Manawan, as assistant to the president and director general of the CISSS de Lanaudière, Mr. Legault “washes his hands of it by magical thought”.
Same story on the side of the Atikamekw of Manawan. In a joint statement released Friday, the CDAM and the CNA criticize the Prime Minister’s refusal to recognize systemic racism.
“The problem remains, and it is imperative to solve it in a lasting way. It starts with acknowledging the existence of systemic racism by adopting Joyce’s Principle, as it was written,” said Constant Awashish, Grand Chief of the Atikamekw Nation.
The Atikamekw and Carol Dubé councils are therefore asking the government to adopt Joyce’s Principle, which would recognize, among other things, the right to autonomy and self-determination of Aboriginal peoples in matters of health and social services, as well as their right to receive these services without any discrimination.
However, the Coalition avenir Québec government has refused to adopt it for almost two years.
Political divisions
François Legault was also blasted with criticism from his opponents in this regard during the debate, especially from Dominique Anglade and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
The Liberal leader said she was “flabbergasted” by the outgoing Prime Minister’s statement. “It trivializes the whole issue of systemic racism, it trivializes the relationship with Indigenous people,” protested Ms.me England.
“That’s not true,” replied Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “You are not Premier of Joliette, you are Premier of Quebec,” he said. Both leaders have made it clear that they are asking the Prime Minister to recognize Joyce’s Principle.