Justice for Joyce — a Fight Against Systemic Racism

Photo by Philippe Champagne

Zuhruf Noor | December 13th, 2020

Carol, come get me”, Joyce Echaquan called out to her husband, as she lay in her hospital room after having admitted herself due to a stomach ache (1). The nurses mocked Echaquan when she attempted to tell them that she was being given too much medication.1 Echaquan began recording a live video on her phone in which nurses can be heard calling her “stupid as hell”, “only good for sex”, and complaining about how their tax dollars were paying for her treatment (2). Joyce passed away shortly after, at the tender age of 37 (1).

On September 28, 2020, Joyce Echaquan, who was from the Indigenous Atikamekw community of Manawan, passed away in Joliette Hospital, a hospital in Quebec (2). Those meant to take care of her subjected her to racist abuse, which she was able to capture on video. Joyce’s sister-in-law, Jemima Dubé, stated that Echaquan posted various live videos during her stay, as she did not trust the medical staff (1).

Just days after her death, Carol Dubé stood before reporters to announce that legal action was going to be taken. Demonstrating astounding strength, Dubé declared “I am here today to ask for justice. I am here, for my wife Joyce Echaquan and her seven children who will never again see their mother” (3). Due to their role in the tragedy, an orderly and a nurse have been laid off (3). However, Echaquan’s legal representative wants the nurse banned from the profession for life (3). The family has also filed a police complaint with the Quebec provincial police (2).

Although Echaquan’s family has clearly stated that they believe her tragedy was caused by systemic racism, the Premier of Quebec, Francois Legault, has brushed this off. He reportedly said that he does not think systemic racism exists in Quebec and maintains this statement, even after recent findings (4). However, the Quebec Superior Court Justice found that it was impossible to deny the racism towards Indigenous people in Quebec (2). This was based on testimony from members of the Manawan community about racism they experienced from the staff at Joliette Hospital (2).

The racism and inhumane treatment that Joyce Echaquan faced is something many Indigenous people face in Quebec, which needs to be challenged and exposed. But, it is important to note that the unjust behaviour that occurred at Joliette Hospital is rooted in the system of oppression that extends across all of Canada. Incidents of neglect and racism within the Canadian healthcare system are a manifestation of the colonial relationship between the Canadian state and the Indigenous communities that were deprived to create it. Although Indigenous nations are provided healthcare, the delivery of it correlates to goals of control and regulation — this can be showcased through the history of the “Indian hospital” system in Canada. To elaborate, hospitals used to have segregated medical treatment for Indigenous people; this was intensified by the onset of tuberculosis (2). Medical professionals and bureaucrats invented “Indian tuberculosis” to justify a system of healthcare apartheid. These roots are what still cause discrimination towards Indigenous people today. In addition, Indigenous people were subject to medical experiments, with medicines being tested in Aboriginal communities and residential schools before they were publicly released (2). This was found in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established by the Canadian government in 2013 (2). The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was organized by the parties of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Its mandate was to inform Canadians about what occurred in Indian Residential Schools (IRS) (5). The Commission documented the truth of survivors, communities, families, and anyone affected by the IRS.

Due to the many rallies in various areas of Canada, Quebec’s Public Security Minister, Genevieve Guilbault, announced that a full public inquiry into Joyce Exhaquan’s death will be taken (4). We hope that this investigation will hold those that were part of the devastation accountable and help battle the discrimination that is very much alive today.

Although the racism at Joliette Hospital exhibited the medical face of Canadian colonialism, it also displayed the strength of Indigenous people and their unbreakable nature. Even as Echaquan faced death, she had the courage to record what was being done to her, which will surely be used to combat the systemic racism still present across Canada. Nevertheless, acts similar to Echaquan’s experience will continue to go on until a society free of colonial oppression is created.

Endnotes

1. Page, J. (2020, September 30). Calls for 'Justice for Joyce' after Indigenous woman's death in Quebec hospital | CBC news. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/joyce-dominique-one-year-after-publication-viens-report-1.5743501

2. Clarke, J. (2020, October 7). Justice for Joyce: Canada’s racist healthcare system. Counterfire. https://www.counterfire.org/articles/opinion/21697-justice-for-joyce-canada-s-racist-healthcare-system

3. Parrillo, F., & Olivier, A. (2020, October 2). ‘Justice for Joyce’: Family of Indigenous woman who died in Quebec hospital announces lawsuit. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/7373856/quebec-joyce-echaquan-family-lawsuit/

4. The McGill Daily. (2020, October 19). Justice for Joyce, justice for georges. https://www.mcgilldaily.com/2020/10/justice-for-joyce-justice-for-georges/

5. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (n.d.). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). https://www.trc.ca/about-us/faqs.html