The Quebec CAQ government of Francois Legault has turned to a former Liberal cabinet minister to negotiate with the Kanien keha:ka (Mohawk) community of Kahnawake.
MONTREAL Two nurses working at the Joliette CLSC were suspended without pay on Monday following an alleged incident of racism against on Indigenous woman. The case was made public by Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Grand Chief Ghislain Picard, who wrote a post on Facebook denouncing the incident, which occurred on Friday at 1 p.m. According to Picard s post, an Atikamekw woman who was an outpatient of the CLSC was the “subject of intimidation, mockery and harassment,” as staff members “saw her name and told her I think we ll just call you Joyce. ” In September, an Atikamekw woman named Joyce Echaquan caught staff at Joliette Hospital berating her with racist insults while she lay dying on a bed. The incident sparked widespread comdemnation and led to promises of reform from the provincial government.
MONTREAL The creation of a cabinet-level minister responsible for combatting racism and banning random police stops were among the recommendations of a report presented by several Quebec cabinet ministers on Monday. The report was drafted by the Action Group Against Racism, which was created in June and given the mandate to identify concrete actions the Quebec government could consider. Health and Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant said the government wants to go “beyond a semantic debate and to debate solutions that will put an end to racism in all its forms.” The Coalition Avenir Quebec government has been criticized for its refusal to acknowledge “systemic racism” in the province.
MONTREAL The Quebec government is hoping newly appointed negotiator Paul Girard will be able to find solutions to the years-long tensions between the municipality of Oka and the Kanien kehá:ka (Mohawk) community of Kanesatake, as leaders from the two communities prepare to meet with him. Girard will meet with the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake Monday, and council Grand Chief Serge Otsi Simon said he hopes he can help find a peaceful solution. However, Simon wants to make some things clear, starting with Girard s title. I m not too comfortable with the term negotiator because I m not negotiating anything with Quebec at this point, said Simon. Mediation, of course. Try to find some common ground and avenues of peace to settle our disputes.