Aboriginal women victims of violence – A Meeting with the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador: The premier of Quebec Philippe Couillard Announces measures to improve the living conditions of Aboriginal women

Press Release

MONTREAL, Nov. 4, 2015 – Earlier today, the Premier of Québec, Philippe Couillard, together with the Minister responsible for Native Affairs, Geoffrey Kelley, the Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection and Public Health, Lucie Charlebois, and the Member for Abitibi-Est, Guy Bourgeois, met with the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador to improve the living conditions of Aboriginal women.

These are the new concrete measures put forward following this meeting. Please note that several departments and agencies of the Government of Québec were involved: the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, the ministère de la Justice, the ministère de la Sécurité publique, the Société d’habitation du Québec, the ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Occupation du territoire, and the Secrétariat aux affaires autochtones.

Government assistance will total a little over $6,100,000.

Social Projects

• The Chez Willie drop-in centre will receive  government assistanceintended to support the projet in its activities, while some will be used to pay the mortgage.
• The Val d’Or Native Friendship Centre, led by Édith Cloutier, will receive financial support to hire the professional resources it needs to maintain the quality of its services.
• In addition, several organizations, including the SHQ, are working together to support Kijaté, a social housing project put forward for Aboriginal people.
• Financial support is offered for the Kinawit project, which offers an Aboriginal place of healing in the forest. Over half of this support will be borne by the Government of Québec and the rest will be covered by a range of organizations, including the municipality of Val d’Or, the RCM of la Vallée-de-l’Or and the federal government.
• A strategic response committee will be formed to help find concrete solutions to combat the extremely precarious situation of Aboriginal people living in urban areas. The committee will also be tasked with developing measures for the prevention of any and all abusive behaviours aimed at Aboriginal people.

Sûreté du Québec (SQ) Initiatives to Restore Trust Between Police and Aboriginal People

• The Sûreté du Québec will add cameras to patrol cars in the Vallée-de-l’Or station.
• Social workers will be made available to offer professional support to police officers in the Vallée-de-l’Or station.

Criminal Investigation Assigned to the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM)

The investigation into allegations of violence against Aboriginal women will be led by the SPVM and monitored by an independent observer whose appointment has only just been made public: Ms. Fanny Lafontaine. Moreover, the Government intends to propose a legislative amendment that will grant the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes the opportunity to review allegations of sexual assault.

Platform on the quality of relations between police and Aboriginal people in Quebec

A tripartite working platform (the Government of Québec, representatives of Aboriginal leaders and federal government representatives will be invited to participate) will be formed to examine the practices of the police forces in Québec, particularly with regard to their work with Aboriginals. This platform will also identify potential solutions for fostering trust between Aboriginal people and members of the police forces in Québec. It will also identify measures to prevent and respond to situations of violence or abuse against women and Aboriginal girls, and measures for supporting them.

Information:

Chantal Gauvin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for Native
Affairs
Telephone: 418 643-3166

Alexandra Bernier
Press Secretary
for the Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection and
Public Health
Telephone: 418 266-7181

Catherine Poulin
Press Secretary
for the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy
Telephone: 418 691-2050

Valérie Pomerleau
Press Secretary
Member for Abitibi-Est
Telephone: 819-824-3333

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