Montreal, February 16, 2025 – Halimatou Bah, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Quebec, has spoken out against systemic racism in the province’s healthcare system, particularly affecting African students and nurses recruited by the government. In a powerful Facebook post, Bah highlighted the discrimination these professionals face despite being actively recruited to support the struggling healthcare sector.
“An African student is considered fit to be a beneficiary attendant. But not a nurse or a doctor?”
Bah’s statement comes in response to a growing number of reports detailing racism experienced by African healthcare workers in Quebec. She noted that while hospitals employ a high percentage of immigrants and racialized individuals, they remain among the workplaces most affected by racism. She also invoked the memory of Joyce Echaquan, an Atikamekw woman who died in a Quebec hospital in 2020 after being subjected to racist abuse by medical staff.
“Too often, we are made to believe that speaking out serves no purpose, that it’s a lost battle.”
Bah urged those facing discrimination to assert their rights and consider filing complaints with institutions such as the Quebec Human Rights Commission, their union, or the CNESST (Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail).
“No matter your position or status, a racist person will remain racist. So do not erase yourself to make others feel at ease.”
She encouraged immigrants to embrace their identity, refusing to change their accents, hairstyles, or cultural expressions to make others comfortable.
Green Party’s Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice
The Green Party of Quebec is recognized as one of the most diverse political organizations in the province, with a leadership team that reflects Quebec’s multicultural population. The party is committed to ecosocialism and anti-racism, advocating for policies that address racial, economic, and environmental justice. This includes staunch opposition to Bill 21, Quebec’s secularism law, which disproportionately affects Muslim women and other religious minorities by restricting their right to wear religious symbols in certain public sector jobs. Green Party leader Alex Tyrrell and other members have repeatedly denounced the law as discriminatory and an infringement on individual freedoms.
Bah’s statement reinforces the party’s dedication to combating systemic racism in all its forms, particularly within public institutions like healthcare. As debates around immigration, labor shortages, and racial justice continue in Quebec, the Green Party remains a vocal advocate for structural changes to promote inclusivity and equity.
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