Renewed calls for human rights inquiry into alleged racism of Indigenous youth at Batshaw

The wait continues for a women’s shelter in Montreal hoping for an inquiry into alleged systemic racism at Batshaw Youth and Family Centres.

The Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) has been trying for six months with no success to get the Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission to launch an inquiry.

The shelter is accusing the youth centre of discriminatory practices, racial profiling of Indigenous children and a lack of Indigenous representation.

“We went to them because we need some kind of action and instead we received silence,” said Nakuset, the executive director of the NWSM.

NWSM and the Centre for Research Action on Race Relations (CRARR) say the commission has yet to respond to them after their October request, calling it a slap in the face.

“It’s really disheartening,” said Nakuset. “When you have nowhere to turn, you assume that the human rights commission will be there to help you. And to be ignored, it is tough to take because where else are you going to go if you can’t go to them?”

Fo Niemi, the executive director of CRARR, says the commission’s lack of communication is shocking.

“The human rights commission is very likely the closest public agency that has the official mandate to look after human rights, protection against discrimination and youth rights, against abuse of the rights of children and abuse of children in the youth protection system,” said Niemi.

“It is very astounding that we have no answer and not even a call to the Native Women’s Shelter and other Indigenous community leaders for a meeting, at least, to discuss how the human rights commission can serve and to protect Indigenous children and mothers and families better.”

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The Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission did respond to CityNews’ request for comment, saying the rights of Indigenous peoples were a priority to them.

“The request for investigation presented by Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal includes different elements concerning our three main mandates – discrimination, youth protection and equal access to employment – for which the Commission’s powers differ,” said Meissoon Azzaria in an emailed statement. “Therefore, the Commission is still analysing the request in all its complexity to give it the right answers in accordance with the powers and limits of our three mandates.

“We are hoping to give answers to the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal in the coming weeks.”

In September, the NWSM ended its partnership with Batshaw citing inaction on Indigenous youth protection. They stopped their meetings just weeks before they submitted a request to the Commission to launch an inquiry into Batshaw.

“We were seeing children and their families being told not to speak their language when on supervised visits, inaccurate identification of Indigenous children and families has continued,” said Mel Lefebvre, vice-president of the NWSM’s board.

In October, Batshaw told CityNews they welcomed any inquiry from the Human Rights Commission, saying it provides an opportunity to respond to the allegations and demonstrate their action plan that’s been put in place.

At a press conference Tuesday, Marjolaine Étienne, the president of Quebec Native Women, said her group is backing the NWSM in its quest for answers.

“We think it is important that the file or the rights of children in terms of protection and security is ensured,” Étienne said in French. “We aspire that our children in Native communities and perhaps even in an urban environment as well can receive a service taking into account Indigenous realities.”

The Native Women’s Shelter sent a letter to Quebec’s junior health minister, Lionel Carmant, who is in charge of youth protection, asking him to find out why its request at the human rights commission isn’t being heard.

“We know that the commission has a problem with excessive delays, but when it involves the safety and the development of children, especially children in care, there should not be any delay,” Niemi said.

“History will repeat itself unless there is some kind of change,” added Nakuset. “We are all sounding the alarm that there needs to be some kind of change.”