Members of the Atikamekw community marched Thursday to the Joliette hospital to “honor the memory” of Joyce Echaquan, this mother who lost her life three years ago to the day under a rain of racist insults in the ‘health institution.
The invitation to the march was launched by the Native Friendship Center of Lanaudière, as well as by the Council of the Atikamekw Nation and the Office of the Joyce Principle.
Some political figures were on site, including the Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière, and the Member of Parliament for Joliette, François St-Louis.
Joyce Echaquan died on September 28, 2020 at Joliette hospital in disturbing circumstances. Her condition had been poorly assessed and prejudices regarding indigenous clients had led health professionals to judge that she was withdrawing from narcotics.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The march was organized to honor the memory of Joyce Echaquan.
“We are doing this to be able to mark this day, but also to tell Joyce’s family and children that we have made progress in recent years, that it is leading to real changes on the ground,” says the director of the Lanaudière Native Friendship Center, Jennifer Brazeau.
She maintains that public discourse today is more open to indigenous issues. According to her, people in positions of power – particularly in the health network – are also much more attentive to Indigenous communities than before.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The marchers went to the Joliette hospital.
“That said, it still takes something that goes beyond political will. It still takes systemic changes in institutions,” says M.me Brazeau, who does not hide his “disappointment” to see François Legault’s government continue to deny the existence of systemic racism.
“Just one change”
A year after the death of Mme Echaquan, in October 2021, coroner Géhane Kamel recommended that the Legault government “recognize the existence of systemic racism” and make “a commitment to contribute to its elimination”. To date, the government has not done so, instead reiterating that racism exists, but there is no responsible or racist system itself.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The invitation to the march was launched by the Native Friendship Center of Lanaudière, as well as by the Council of the Atikamekw Nation and the Office of the Joyce Principle.
In a word read in front of the crowd, Joyce Echaquan’s spouse, Carol Dubé, wondered “why three years later, after unfailing evidence, we must still ask the Quebec government to make us heard.”
“Why are we still waiting for those who have the power to decide to take action? […] Why all these backroom games and public relations, rather than the changes we need? “, denounced Mr. Dubé, deploring that the Joyce Principle has not yet been adopted. “I hope that next year we can commemorate Joyce’s entire legacy of one change. »
Sipi Flamand, the head of the Atikamekw Council of Manawan, did not mince his words either. “The government is ordered to adopt the Joyce Principle. This evening, we are angry because the government does not hear us,” he said, inviting Minister Ian Lafrenière to “bring this message to Quebec.”
Quebec says it is listening
Reached by telephone after the rally, Mr. Lafrenière assured that he “hears the demands” of the community. “There are several elements in the Joyce Principle on which we agree, except that I am not pretending, it requires recognizing systemic racism and you know our position,” he explained.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
The Minister responsible for Relations with First Nations and Inuit, Ian Lafrenière
“There are many things that have changed, but others will take even more time. We still have a lot of energy to put in and we have no pretension that everything is settled, on the contrary. We will continue, we will be in action,” continued the minister.
The CAQ elected official also said he was particularly marked Thursday evening “by the presence of many non-natives”, alongside the Atikamekw. “It gives me hope, because we can’t work separately, we have to do it together. »
“The political power has chosen to isolate itself in a completely unacceptable denial,” said the head of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, Ghislain Picard. “There is no Aboriginal person who is angry with Quebec society. What we want from you is to listen and understand the determination that drives us. »
The CISSS appeals
The CISSS de Lanaudière, for its part, confirmed Thursday that it refuses to reinstate the beneficiary attendant who was fired following the death of Joyce Echaquan. In August, a labor law arbitrator concluded that the attendant Myriam Leblanc, fired following the death of Joyce Echaquan, had been unfairly fired, and asked the CISSS de Lanaudière to reinstate her, but above all to pay her the salary due to him. This decision was officially “appealed” on September 18, confirmed Thursday the spokesperson for the CISSS, Bianca Desrosiers, whose organization said it “disagrees” with the court’s interpretation.