Dates: September 27 & 28, 2025
Location: Delta Hotel, Trois-Rivieres
Limited places! - Registration is required
Deadline for sending your registration form and nominative list for accommodation: 15 August 2025
For further information, please contact the Coordinator Sylvestre Desterres by email at sdesterres@gmail.com or by telephone at 581-443-5482.
September 28, 2025 will mark the fifth anniversary of the death of Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman from the Manawan community.
This tragic death highlighted the reality of systemic racism in the healthcare system, as pointed out by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples.
This tragedy gave rise to Joyce's Principle, which guarantees every Indigenous person:
equitable and non-discriminatory access to all social and health services,
respect for traditional medicinal knowledge and practices,
in accordance with Article 24 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, affirming the right to cultural security.
To support this mission, the Office of Joyce’s Principle and the network of ambassadors have been created, working to raise awareness, mobilise support and bring about concrete improvements in public services.
This theme reminds us that:
This event will take stock of the last five years while paving the way for commitments for the future.
September 27, 2025 |
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08:30-09:00
Hall |
Welcome |
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09:00-09:30
Vision Cogeco B Room
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Opening Ceremony and Words
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09:30-11:00
Vision Cogeco B Room |
Round Table 1 « How has Joyce’s Principle been Implemented Five Years after its Adoption? » Moderator : Karine Millaire (UdeM)
Current Status by Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne and Discussion
Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne (Office of Joyce’s Principle), Marjolaine Étienne (Quebec Native), Hon. Michèle Audette, Senator, Marjolaine Sioui (CSSSPNQL), Suzy Basile (UQAT) |
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11:00-11:15 |
Health Break |
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11:15-12:30
Vision Cogeco B Room |
Round Table 2 « Healthcare Professions: Cultural Safety Norms and Standards » Moderators : Samuel Rainville (UQTR),
Dr Mauril Gaudreault et Dr Nathalie Duchesne (Quebec College of Physicians), Jean-Daniel Jacob (Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing) and Marilee Nowgesic (Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association), Sandro Echaquan (Manawan Masko-Siwin Health Centre), Dr Karhinéhtha’ Cortney Clark (Canadian Medical Association) |
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12:30-13:30
Salle Vision Cogeco A |
Communal Meal |
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13:30-14:30
Vision Cogeco B Room |
Round Table 3 «Education, Advocacy and the Resurgence of Indigenous Practices » Moderators : Sarah-Maude Duval and Mackenzie Ryan, students (UdeM)
Karine Millaire (UofM), Jasmine Chatelain and a student (Pimâtîsuwin Chiskutimâchuwin program), Samir Shaheen-Hussain (Pediatric, Emergency Physician, Network of Ambassadors) |
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14:30-14:45 |
Health Break |
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14:45-16:30
Workshop 1: Vision Cogeco B Room
Workshop 2: Leadership Room |
Workshop 1 « Caring with Dignity: Strengthening Cultural Safety in our Communities » Moderators: Dr Nazila Bettache (CHUM and Collectif Soignons la Justice sociale) and Sylvie Roy (Joyce's Principle Ambassador)
Presentations followed by an interactive workshop aimed at identifying best practices and current challenges in implementing cultural safety.
Audience: healthcare professionals and managers, patient partners, community workers, professional associations, academic experts, public decision-makers |
Workshop 2 « Being Respected and Cared for with Dignity: Legal and Ethical Issues and Strategies» Moderators: Karine Millaire (UofM), Glenda Sandy (Indigenous Nurse Advisor) and Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne (Office of Joyce’s Principle)
Presentations followed by an interactive workshop aimed at identifying the legal issues encountered in implementing users' rights and interests, as well as strategies to enable them to assert these rights and interests.
Audience: users, patient partners, community workers. |
September 28, 2025 |
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09:00-11:00
Vision Cogeco B Room |
Sharing Circle « Research and Cultural Safety » Moderators: Karine Millaire
Amélie Blanchet-Garneau (UdeM), Julie Rock (UQTR), Linda Shecapio (UQAT), Naïma Hamrouni (UQTR), Marie-Claude Tremblay (CHU-ULaval), Sandro Echaquan (UdeM-Manawan), Anne-Marie Leclerc (RCAAQ-UQTR), Treena Delormier (McGill), Joannie Gill (UdeM) |
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11:00-11:15 |
Health Break |
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11:15-12:00
Vision Cogeco B Room |
« Summary Workshop: Towards the next Five Years of Joyce’s Principle » Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne, accompanied by the Spokespersons for the Workshops |
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12:00-13:00
Vision Cogeco A Room |
Communal Meal |
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September 28, 2025 |
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13:00-15:00 Vision Cogeco B Room
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Memorial service Mary Coon and Marcel Petiquay, elders
Speeches and acknowledgements Family Member (to be confirmed) Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne (Office of Joyce’s Principle) Hon. Michèle Audette, Senator Hon. Mandy Gull-Masty, Minister of Indigenous Services Francis Verreault-Paul (AFNQL) Grand Chief Constant Awashish (Atikamekw Nation Council) Chief Sipi Flamand (Atikamekw Community of Manawan) Office of Joyce’s Principle Ambassadors
Artistic performances Maya Cousineau-Mollen Beatrice Deer Mikon Niquay-Ottawa |
Location: Hall
In place until the end of the event
A space is available to public and community organizations wishing to promote their mission, in line with that of the event and the Joyce's Principle Office, as well as to Indigenous artisans.
Location: Hall
In place until the end of the event
The Woven Commitments Space is a symbolic and visual installation set up during the « Joyce Five Years Later » event to recognise and highlight the people and institutions that are taking a stand in favour of the dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples, in the spirit of Joyce's Principle.
This space contributes to an artistic and educational work, whether movable or permanent, which can be used to raise awareness, mobilise and transmit ideas in various environments. Visual recordings (photos or videos) could be included in this process. If you do not wish to be included, please inform the team on site when you arrive.
Location: Performance Hall
In place until the end of the event
This space will provide an area for reflection and emotional support accessible to all participants who feel the need. In a calm, respectful and safe environment, the spiritual dimension of the event will be fully expressed thanks to the presence of Indigenous elders.
Representatives from the Trois-Rivières Native Friendship Centre (TRNFC) will also be on hand to accompany, listen to and support participants during discussions and more sensitive moments.
Location: Action Room
In place until Sunday at 1 p.m.
Free and accessible, this space will allow children under the age of 12 to be safely looked after while their parents participate in the event's activities. It will offer a warm, respectful and safe environment conducive to play, creativity and the well-being of young children.
Media representatives wishing to cover our activities are invited to request accreditation.
Please send your request to Sylvestre Desterres, Coordinator: sdesterres@gmail.com
In your message, kindly include:
your full name
the media outlet you represent
your contact information (email and phone)
any additional relevant details
In order to ensure equitable access for all those interested in attending the conference, we are offering $0 registration to First Nations, Metis and Inuit people with limited financial resources. Please contact us by email: info@bpjoyce.ca or by telephone: 581-443-5482.
The event will be filmed and photographed for the purposes of commemoration, raising awareness and future mobilisation. By taking part in the event, you accept that you may be filmed. If you do not wish to appear in an interview or video clip, please let us know when you arrive.
Some participants may be approached to give a testimonial or interview as part of a video clip. This video will be broadcast after the event (October 2025).
The Woven Commitments Space is a symbolic and visual installation set up during the « Joyce Five Years Later » event to recognise and highlight the people and institutions that are taking a stand in favour of the dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples, in the spirit of Joyce's Principle.
This space contributes to an artistic and educational work, whether movable or permanent, which can be used to raise awareness, mobilise and transmit ideas in various environments. Visual recordings (photos or videos) could be included in this process. If you do not wish to be included, please inform the team on site when you arrive.
The Delta Trois-Rivières by Marriott team is committed to offering a variety of food options for dietary restrictions (allergies, intolerances) and vegetarian or vegan diets.
It is strictly forbidden to sell or consume food and beverages in Delta Hotel areas (meeting rooms, corridors, halls, etc.). Any food or beverages served as part of an event-related activity must be supplied, prepared and served by the Delta Hotel and consumed on site. An exception is made for take-away box lunches for outdoor activities included in the programme.
Rooms have been reserved at the Delta Hotel for participants. Each invited organisation or group must provide a list of names of those to be accommodated by August 15, 2025 to facilitate coordination with the hotel.
The Office does not directly manage reservations, and no preferential rates are offered. However, this block of rooms will be accessible via a link that will be sent to you after the registration deadline. You will then have 48 hours to confirm your accommodation.
The guaranteed arrival time is 4pm and the departure time is 12pm. Additional charges may apply for early arrivals or late departures, subject to availability.
Underground parking at the Delta Hotel is available at a daily rate of $15 (rate 2025) for a 24-hour period. Additional taxes apply (GST 5% and QST 9.975%). Please note that the maximum height allowed is 6 feet. No oversized vehicles may be parked in front of the hotel without prior authorization. Any unauthorized vehicle will be towed at the owner/driver's expense.
Parking is at the participant's expense.
Simultaneous translation will be provided throughout the “Joyce Five Years Later” event to enable participation in Atikamekw, French, and English.
In addition, all activities will be livestreamed via Facebook, offering the opportunity to take part in this moment of remembrance and reflection, even from a distance, and to extend the reach of the event to a wider audience.
Please note, however, that simultaneous translation will not be available on the livestream.
The event is first and foremost a moment of reflection in honor of Joyce, focuses on cultural safety, and is part of this approach. We invite you to listen and show respect, to refrain from soliciting participants for data collection, and to refrain from taking photos or videos of participants without their explicit consent.
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Illustration: Work of Eruoma Awashish, artist Atikamekw Nehirowiskwew of Opitciwan
Title: Justice for Joyce 2020
In memory of Joyce Echaquan 1983-2020