For years, Pierre-Paul Niquay has sought answers about the fate of his two older brothers, Joseph Jean Antonio Niquay and Paul-Émile Niquay, who disappeared after being hospitalized in La Tuque, Quebec, as toddlers. Their parents were told the boys died from consuming spoiled milk, a story Niquay believes is inconsistent. In 2021, his family joined over 100 Indigenous families in accessing medical records under a Quebec law that allows them to seek information about missing or deceased loved ones from health-care facilities prior to 1992. Since the law’s enactment, 129 families have initiated searches for 221 missing children, but only 21 cases have been resolved. While families like Niquay’s have gained some insights into their loved ones’ deaths, many face ongoing challenges regarding the dignity of their burials and the repatriation of remains from unmarked graves.
Why It Matters
Historically, Indigenous children in Canada faced systemic neglect within the health-care system, often resulting in their disappearance or death without proper notification to their families. The 2021 legislation reflects a growing recognition of the need for transparency and accountability regarding the treatment of Indigenous individuals in medical facilities. Access to medical records is a crucial step towards healing for these families, who have suffered from decades of silence and unresolved grief. The efforts to locate and repatriate remains underscore the broader issues of historical trauma and the ongoing impact of colonial policies on Indigenous communities across Canada.
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