Racist abuse in Canada: the family of the deceased Amerindian sues
(illustration) Aerial view of Quebec City in Canada.
Sebastien St-Jean / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
The family of an indigenous woman, who died after being the victim of racist comments by nurses whom she filmed in a hospital in Quebec, announced Friday their intention to launch lawsuits to "demand justice".
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"
I am here to demand justice
", launched, in tears, Carol Dubé, the widower of Joyce Echaquan.
The death of the 37-year-old woman sent shock waves and outrage in Canada.
"
I don't want his death to be unnecessary
," he added, his voice broken with emotion, at a press conference.
How many more human lives will it take before we can finally recognize that there is systemic racism towards us, the Aboriginal nation
?
"
The young woman, who was asking for help on her hospital bed, filmed the scene with her phone on Monday at the Joliette hospital, 70 km from Montreal.
In this 7-minute video broadcast live on Facebook, this mother of seven from the Atikamekw nation calls for help while nurses and caregivers make comments deemed racist or degrading.
Admitted for stomach pain, the young woman died shortly after recording.
“
How many other similar situations are not denounced because we do not know?
again launched his widower.
I am convinced that my wife died because systemic racism contaminated the Joliette hospital.
"
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To read also: Canada: the live death of a Native American in the hospital is scandalous
Prime Minister calls for two investigations to be opened
The family's lawyer, Jean-François Bertrand, said he was going to seek damages from this hospital as well as from the employees at the origin of the racist insults or degrading remarks heard in the video.
A nurse and a caregiver from this establishment were dismissed following this affair.
The lawyer intends to ask that the nurse be struck off for life.
He also wants a police investigation to be opened.
“
What happened is nothing short of unacceptable,
” he said.
It is unfortunately a reflection of a systematic racism experienced every day by indigenous peoples.
"
The Prime Minister of Quebec François Legault announced the opening of two inquiries: one by the regional health authorities, the other by the coroner, the officer in charge of investigating the deaths occurring in suspicious circumstances or due to negligence.
(
With agencies
)
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To read also: Racism in Canada: the violence of the police against the natives angers more and more
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