Quebec nurses suspended for racism: “I think we’ll just call you Joyce”

An Atikamekw woman named Jocelyne Ottawa was “the subject of intimidation, mockery and harassment” at a CLSC in Joliette, QC on Friday. Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Ghislain Picard made the incident public over the weekend.

Woke up this morning with a disturbing yet not surprising information.Another situation where an Atikamekw woman, as an…

Posted by Ghislain Picard on Sunday, March 14, 2021

According to CTV, the nurses involved in the incident have been suspended without pay and may be fired. The interim head of regional health authority CISSS de Lanaudière, Caroline Barbir, said she was “shaken” and “deeply shocked” by news of the incident on Monday.

Le témoignage de Mme Jocelyne Ottawa. Cette femme Atikamekw s’est fait dire « On va t’appeler Joyce » par des infirmières de Joliette. Nous sommes allés à sa rencontre. pic.twitter.com/NEpiVGh7VG

— Mélissa François (@melissa_francoi) March 16, 2021

The Native Women’s Association of Canada is calling for a full investigation into the incident:

“We know this sort of thing goes on still it is shocking that healthcare professionals would behave in such a blatantly and openly racist manner so soon after the condemnations that followed the release of Joyce as a Quan’s video. And while the hospital has asked it’s cultural liaison to take action it is not enough we need a full scale investigation.”

—Native Women’s Association of Canada President Lorraine Whitman

Blatant and open racism has no place anywhere – let alone in our healthcare system. We are calling for an investigation into this utterly unacceptable situation. #EndSystemicRacism #MMIWG #NoRoomForRacism pic.twitter.com/iCFoZmihr5

— Lynne Groulx (@groulx_lynne) March 16, 2021

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