Death after hospital stay: treatment of native people fuels debate on racism in Canada

The alleged racist treatment of a native woman in a hospital in the Canadian province of Québec sparked renewed debate about systemic racism.

As reported by the British BBC and the Canadian broadcaster CBC, 37-year-old Joyce Echaquan from the Atikamekw tribal group came to the hospital in Joliette north of Montréal on Saturday with severe stomach pain.

Echaquan died two days later.

Québec's Prime Minister Francois Legault announced on Tuesday (local time) her death will be fully investigated.

A cell phone video filmed by the woman herself shows the mother of seven lying on a sick bed and - apparently screaming in pain - calling for help.

The comments of the staff can be read in subtitles.

A nurse told the woman, among other things, that she was "damn stupid".

According to Legault, one of the nurses involved has already been released.

Québec Native Women’s vice president, Mary Hannaburg, said it was “very hard to see and hear”, according to the CBC.

The statements made there should not be tolerated.

"They are of a racist nature," said Hannaburg.

Provincial Prime Minister sees no systemic racism in Québec's hospitals

Québec's Premier Legault also described the staff's remarks as "unacceptable and racist", according to the CBC.

When asked at a press conference, he denied that this case was an indication of systemic racism in Québec.

"I really don't think we have this type of Aboriginal treatment in our Québec hospitals," he said.

Legault admitted, however, that there is some racism in Québec.

"We're working on it," he added.

In the summer he convened an anti-racism committee.

The British broadcaster BBC reported that this case was the latest in a series that raised questions about systemic racism against Canada's indigenous people.

In June, employees of a hospital in the province of British Columbia had accordingly placed bets on the blood alcohol level of admitted indigenous people.

Icon: The mirror

fek / dpa