/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/canada/2020/10/01/this-treatment-is-not-unique-to-joyce-indigenous-medical-workers-say-joyce-echaquans-death-is-the-latest-tragic-symptom-of-a-longstanding-health-care-crisis/justice_for_joyce_vigil.jpg)
On Monday, September 28, Joyce Echaquan — mother of seven, partner to Carol Dube, member of the Atikamekw nation of Manwan, 37 years old – died … or, better, was tortured to death, while lying in a hospital bed in Joliette, in Quebec, Canada. Suffering severe stomach pains, Joyce Echaquan checked herself into a hospital. That was September 26. On September 28, as the pain intensified, nurses administered morphine, even though Joyce Echaquan told them she was allergic to morphine and that she had a pacemaker. As Joyce Echaquan screamed in intensifying pain, the nurses told her, “You’re as stupid as hell”; “Are you done acting stupid? Are you done?”; “You made some bad choices, my dear. What are your children going to think, seeing you like this?”; “She’s good at having sex, more than anything else”. We know this because Joyce Echaquan, in excruciating pain, dying, pulled out her phone, started filming and posting on Facebook. The video is a bit over seven minutes long. Soon after Joyce Echaquan died … or, better, succumbed to torture. Now there’s an `outcry’ in Canada at the treatment Joyce Echaquan received, which was perfectly ordinary treatment for Indigenous women. Outcries have a short life span, especially when the subject is the torture and abuse of Indigenous women.
Joyce Echaquan pulled out her phone because she knew. She knew because it had happened before, to her. She knew because she was an Atikamekw woman. She knew because. Period. She knew that her family would organize and protest, decrying systemic racism. She knew they would hold her in their hearts and souls. She knew as well that the government of Quebec and Canada would deplore the horrible act, would demand an investigation, and ultimately would do absolutely nothing.
Joyce Echaquan told the staff that she should not be given morphine, and they refused to listen. None of this is new. It has happened before, certainly across Canada, and will happen again. Violence against Indigenous, Native, First Nation, Aboriginal women is a core part and principle of the colonization processes and practices that continue, unabated, to this day. Why, for example, it the outcry and outrage only Canadian? Where is the coverage of Joyce Echaquan’s torture in the various new media around the world? The BBC had something, as have AlJazeera and the Guardian, and that is pretty much it. Where is the outrage at the torture of an Indigenous woman who only wanted, needed, and deserved care? Who cares about Joyce Echaquan? Tomorrow, Monday, October 11, is Indigenous People’s Day. It took 48 hours and a little over four centuries to torture Joyce Echaquan to death. Other than family, friends, community, who will remember Joyce Echaquan a year from now? Joyce Echaquan lived in a world in which, on her deathbed, she had to pull out her phone and start recording the torture she was suffering. We continue to live in that world. This is us.

(Photo Credit 1: The Star) (Photo Credit 2: The Guardian / Canadian Press)
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L’interprète de Manawan était à l’hôpital lors du décès de Joyce Echaquan https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/595377/deces-de-joyce-echaquan-une-interprete-etait-a-l-hopital
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Open letter blasts Quebec gov’t over failure to adopt Joyce’s Principle: https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/quebec-physicians-academics-blast-government-for-failure-to-recognize-joyces-principle/
Canada vowed to protect its Indigenous women. But they are still being blamed for their own deaths https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/06/world/cindy-gladue-canada-indigenous-genocide-intl/index.html
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Coerced and forced sterilization of Indigenous women and girls: This is what genocide looks like in Canada https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/03/08/coerced-and-forced-stereilization-of-indigenous-women-and-girls-this-is-what-genocide-looks-like-in-canada.html
Two Quebec nurses suspended after allegedly mocking death of Indigenous woman https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/03/15/two-quebec-nurses-suspended-after-allegedly-mocking-death-of-indigenous-woman.html
Nurses fired after Atikamekw woman ‘humiliated’ at Quebec clinic | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-joliette-echaquan-jocelyn-ottawa-1.5951770
Health network fires two nurses in Joliette after allegations of racism https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/health-network-fires-two-nurses-who-mocked-atikamekw-woman-in-joliette
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Indigenous woman Joyce Echaquan posthumously awarded Rosa Parks prize in Quebec https://tworowtimes.com/news/national/indigenous-woman-joyce-echaquan-posthumously-awarded-rosa-parks-prize-in-quebec/
Demand for Indigenous cultural safety training in Quebec is high, but obstacles remain deeply rooted | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/cultural-safety-indigenous-programs-in-high-demand-quebec-1.6022226
Quebec coroner’s inquest into death of Joyce Echaquan begins today https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/05/13/quebec-coroners-inquest-into-death-of-joyce-echaquan-begins-today.html
Quebec coroner’s inquest into death of Joyce Echaquan begins as her family testifies https://montrealgazette.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/quebec-coroners-inquest-into-death-of-joyce-echaquan-begins-today/wcm/20e4cb49-3e5e-41b2-bc00-59a3d272c754
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Joyce Echaquan’s treatment in hospital ‘inhuman’ and ‘shocking,’ says brother at inquest https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/joyce-echaquan-s-treatment-in-hospital-inhuman-and-shocking-says-brother-at-inquest-1.5428254
Nurses who treated Joyce Echaquan said watching video was ‘horrific, devastating’ | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/joyce-echaquan-coroner-s-inquest-joliette-nurse-testifies-1.6030976
Hospital worker says colleague panicked, deleted video Joyce Echaquan posted before her death | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/joyce-echaquan-coroner-inquest-may-19-1.6032387
Joyce Echaquan’s eldest daughter threatened in Trois-Rivières, family says | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/echaquan-inquest-threats-uttered-1.6037675
Les dernières heures de la vie de Joyce Echaquan, selon les témoignages https://ici.radio-canada.ca/espaces-autochtones/1795382/enquete-mort-joyce-echaquan-temoins-hopital-joliette
Conflicting testimony from medical staff muddies the waters at Joyce Echaquan coroner’s inquiry | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/joyce-echaquan-coroner-s-inquiry-may-26-1.6041382
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Joyce Echaquan died of pulmonary edema, could have been saved, inquiry hears | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/joyce-echaquan-inquiry-may-27-toxicology-1.6042783
Joyce Echaquan should have been taken more seriously, says head nurse https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/joyce-echaquan-should-have-been-taken-more-seriously-says-head-nurse-1.5445292
Echaquan inquiry: ex-health boss says he was unaware of racism problem at hospital https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/05/28/echaquan-inquiry-ex-health-boss-says-he-was-unaware-of-racism-problem-at-hospital.html
Joyce Echaquan’s death lays bare, once again, problems in Quebec’s health-care system | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-joyce-echaquan-reaction-1.6044631
Innu surgeon pleads for reforms at coroner’s inquiry into Joyce Echaquan’s death | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/stanley-vollant-joyce-echaquan-coroner-inquiry-1.6046715
What Joyce Echaquan knew https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/what-joyce-echaquan-knew/
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Indigenous families press for change in Quebec through MMWIG inquiry action plan | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-mmwig-action-plan-families-1.6053607
Honouring Joyce Echaquan’s legacy through art, music and a movement for change across Quebec | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/joyce-echaquan-legacy-art-quebec-indigenous-artists-1.6058187
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Reflecting on the death of Joyce Echaquan, one year later https://montreal.citynews.ca/video/2021/09/25/reflecting-on-the-death-of-joyce-echaquan-one-year-later/
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Brian Sinclair, Joyce Echaquan died years apart in hospitals. Only one of their inquests points to change | CBC News https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-sinclair-echaquan-inquest-contrast-1.6204930
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