By Canadian Press

Quebec declines talks with feds, provinces, territories on coerced sterilization

Feb 14, 2019 | 2:40 PM

OTTAWA — Quebec won’t be part of a working group the federal government wants to examine claims that Indigenous women have been sterilized against their will.

A spokesperson for Quebec’s health minister confirmed today the province declined an invitation in January to meet officials from the federal government and other provinces and territories.

In December, federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor and then Indigenous-services minister Jane Philpott contacted the provinces, territories and members of the medical community to form a group on what they called cultural competency in health care.

Health Canada official Abby Hoffman recently told a parliamentary committee that many provinces have responded to the call and said the first meeting is early next month.

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Alexandre Lahaie, a press attache to Quebec Health Minister Danielle McCann, says the provincial government is very sensitive to the issue of coerced sterilization, there are already discussions underway with a number of First Nations in Quebec — and that health is a provincial jurisdiction.

Petitpas Taylor’s office did not comment directly on Quebec’s decision to opt out but issued a statement saying sterilizing women without their consent is a violation of basic human rights.

The Canadian Press