Critics continue to rain down on the CAQ government, which on Wednesday renounced its promise to include the notion of cultural security in the Act respecting health services and social services and refused the day before a proposal aimed at strengthening the protection of students. indigenous.
After the Conseil des Atikamekw de Manawan and the Conseil de la Nation Atikamekw, which “vigorously denounced” Quebec’s decline in terms of cultural security in health services, it is the turn of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec -Labrador to voice his displeasure.
“This legislative measure was only a very small weapon to combat such a great scourge as that of racism in the health and social services system, now Quebec is doing an about-face and renouncing to put in place this timid measure”, denounced the leaders of the AFNQL in a press release published on Friday.
In Quebec, the opposition parties attacked the Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Ian Lafrenière, on Thursday, reminding him that he had made a commitment, following the death of Joyce Echaquan, to enshrine the principle of cultural security in the law.
“Does the minister realize how much this is a slap in the face for the natives, in particular the Atikamekw and Joyce’s family? asked the PQ MP for Joliette, Véronique Hivon. Does the government realize that it is further undermining the so eroded trust between the Aboriginal peoples, the government and its institutions? How good is the government’s word when it comes to Aboriginal people? »
His Liberal colleague Gregory Kelley also noted that the word “indigenous” does not appear anywhere in the plan to overhaul the health system tabled Tuesday in Quebec.
Minister Lafrenière defended himself by repeating that he was “in action” even if the words “cultural security” were still not in the law. He also repeated that he had not given up on the idea of doing so, but that he would not be able to do it by the end of the session in June. “Is this term currently in the law? The answer is no. Does that prevent us from acting? Does that mean it’s not important? Does that mean we sit idly by? The answer is no, no and no. »
Manon Massé, head of Indigenous affairs for Québec Solidaire, denounced the situation by issuing a press release on Friday. “It’s shameful: by breaking his promise, Minister Lafrenière further afflicts the Aboriginal communities and undermines the memory of Joyce Echaquan,” she argued. Of course, when a government refuses to recognize systemic racism, the source of discrimination experienced by Aboriginal people, it is perhaps not so surprising to see it abandon its promises. »
Education
Earlier this week, The duty reported that the Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge, had also rejected a proposal aimed at strengthening the protection of Aboriginal students, as recommended by the Viens commission more than two and a half years ago. This decision was also strongly criticized by the opposition and the First Nations Education Council (FNEC).
Returning to the charge on Friday, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador discredited the thesis according to which a single student ombudsman would make it possible to defend all children in the same way, whether they are non-natives or natives.
“This reasoning poses a problem since the inequalities that exist between Aboriginal students and their non-Aboriginal students require appropriate measures that will eliminate these gaps in academic success between these populations,” says the AFNQL. By wanting to treat everyone on an equal footing, the government will reinforce the inequities that First Nations are all too familiar with in the education system. »
The AFNQL denounces the government’s “systematic denial” of the specific realities of the First Nations and questions its real desire to change things. “Faced with a government that prides itself on taking action and seeking concrete solutions, we are entitled to doubt its real good faith,” conclude the AFNQL leaders.