Quebec’s cultural awareness training makes flawed assumptions that do not prioritize the safety of Indigenous people

By  Marie-Claude Tremblay Alex M. McComber  and Georgia Limniatis Quebec’s Minister Responsible for Relations with the First Nations and the Inuit, Ian Lafreniere, recently introduced Bill 32, which aims to “establish the cultural safety approach within the health and social services network.” The intent of the bill is for health and social service networks in Quebec to adopt a cultural safety approach towards Indigenous people, taking into account cultural and historical realities. In November 2020, in the aftermath of the death of Joyce Echaquan at the Centre hospitalier de Lanaudiere in Joliette, the Quebec government introduced 90-minute mandatory Indigenous cultural awareness training for all employees of the province’s ministry of health and social services. The goal of this training was to quickly sensitize health-care personnel to Indigenous cultures in order…

This content is for Yearly Subscription, Yearly Subscription – Corporate, Print Subscription Only, and Canada Print and Online members only.
Register
Already a member? Log in here

Add Your Voice

Is there more to this story? We'd like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Contribute your voice on our contribute page.