Articles, Op-eds & Interviews

[This page was last updated on April 28, 2022]

Principe de Joyce - La sécurisation culturelle et les promesses non tenues de la CAQ
By: Nazila Bettache & Samir Shaheen-Hussain
La Presse+
(also available via La Presse)
April 7, 2022

Quebec health care plan fails to respond to Indigenous concerns: There was no mention of cultural safety, which should be enshrined in our health-care legislation
By: Nazila Bettache & Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Montreal Gazette
April 7, 2022 (page A9 of print edition; also available via Ottawa Citizen)

Entrevue avec Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Interviewed by Mathieu Lavigne
Émission Confluents, episode 25 (Radio Ville-Marie & Radio Galilée)
March 17, 2022

Retour sur l’atelier « Le colonialisme d’implantation au Québec: un impensé de la recherche universitaire? » (25-26 novembre 2021)
By: Kathleen Villeneuve
Histoire Engagée
March 15, 2022

“Faith and Access: The Conflict Inside Catholic Hospitals. Why should publicly funded hospitals get to limit access on religious grounds?"
By: Wendy Glauser
The Walrus
February 23, 2022
(“Divine Intervention: Why a growing number of health care workers in Catholic hospitals are speaking out”, pages 34-40 of March/April 2022 print issue)

“Webinar explores how activism and the written word intertwine: The Quebec Writers’ Federation and Muslim Awareness Week co-host Writing as Activism, featuring Ellen Gabriel and Samir Shaheen-Hussain”
By: Ian McGillis
Montreal Gazette
January 28, 2022 (page A3 of print edition of January 31, 2022)

“Read us something you wrote, the 2nd edition: Writers read us something they wrote”
Interviewed by Shawn Apel
Radio Noon Quebec, CBC Radio
January 28, 2022

Immigrants and Indigenous Peoples fight similar battles, so they should stand together
By: Zaineb Survery
New Canadian Media
January 4, 2022

La violence médicale infligée aux enfants autochtones documentée par Samir Shaheen-Hussain
By: L’initiative
December 30, 2021

Events that I really missed attending in 2021: Quebec Writers Federation and Meta awards, and the Atwater Library Benefit Cocktail
By: Byron Toben
Westmount Magazine
December 29, 2021

2021 in review: Our arts writers pick the year’s most memorable stories
“Rare double win for doctor’s vital book”
By: Ian McGillis
Montreal Gazette
December 23, 2021 (page B4 of print edition of December 24, 2021)

Award-winning book by McGill professor takes on systemic racism in health care: Samir Shaheen-Hussain talks about his book Fighting for a Hand to Hold – a double winner at the recent Quebec Writers’ Federation Literary Awards
By: Richard Deschamps
McGill Reporter
December 8, 2021

Doctor’s study of health care for Indigenous children wins two 2021 Quebec Writers’ Federation awards”
By: Christopher Neal
The Montrealer, page 29
December 2021

[Reportage] Rachida Azdouz et les antiracistes : qui aime bien, châtie bien
By: Samir Bendjafer
Radio Canada International
December 5, 2021

Samir Shaheen-Hussain récompensé par la Quebec Writers’ Federation
By: Laila Maalouf
La Presse+
(also available via La Presse)
December 4, 2021

“Samir Shaheen-Hussain and Monique Polak among winners for Quebec Writers’ Federation Literary Awards: The awards honour the best books by English-language writers and translators in Quebec”
By: Vicky Qiao
CBC Books
December 2, 2021

Northern Health’s VP Indigenous Health pens Lancet book review
By: Shelby Petersen
Northern Health, British Columbia
November 29, 2021

Doctor’s study of health care for Indigenous children wins two Quebec literary awards
The Suburban
November 27, 2021

“Doctor’s study of health care for Indigenous children wins two Quebec literary awards”
Canadian Newswire
November 25, 2021
(also available via Yahoo.com

“Doctor’s book on systemic racism takes two prizes at QWF Literary Awards: Samir Shaheen-Hussain was a rare double winner for Fighting for a Hand to Hold: Confronting Medical Colonialism Against Indigenous Children in Canada”
By: Ian McGillis
Montreal Gazette
November 24, 2021 (page A6 of print edition of November 25, 2021)
(also available via MSN)

Salon du livre de Montréal: Vive le retour du présentiel!
By: Karine Vilder
Journal de Montréal
November 20, 2021

Ryoa Chung et Samir Shaheen-Hussain: Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice de Rupa Marya et Raj Patel
Interviewed by: Marie-Louise Arsenault
Plus on est de fous, plus on lit, Radio-Canada
November 11, 2021

Samir Shaheen-Hussain, Aimee Wall, and Sheila Fischman among 2021 QWF Literary Awards finalists
By: Cassandra Drudi
Quill & Quire
October 18, 2021

Samir Shaheen-Hussain: Decolonizing Medicine
Interviewed by: Sam Freeman
Practicing Podcast, Season 1, Episode 1
October 14, 2021

Systemic racism in Quebec health care is long-standing, doctor says. Appalling treatment of Joyce Echaquan was, sadly, no surprise, says physician and activist Samir Shaheen-Hussain, but he’s hopeful change can come.
By: Jesse Feith
Montreal Gazette
October 12, 2021 (page A1 of print edition)

Malade de nous: La plaie du racisme systémique
By: Josée Blanchette
Le Devoir
October 8, 2021

The Legault government says there is no systemic racism in the province. The coroner who investigated the death of Joyce Echaquan says it’s time for the government to recognize there is
Interviewed by: Shawn Apel
Radio Noon Quebec, CBC Radio
October 6, 2021

Coroner’s report on Joyce Echaquan’s death adds pressure on Quebec premier to acknowledge systemic racism
By: Émilie Warren & Marilla Steuter-Martin (with Franca G. Mignacca & Valeria Cori-Manocchio)
CBC News
October 2, 2021

Interviewed by: Valeria Cori-Manocchio
CBC Montreal Evening News
October 1, 2021

Rapport d’enquête sur le décès de Joyce Echaquan
Interviewed by: Guillaume Dumas
C’est encore mieux l’après-midi, ICI Radio-Canada Québec
October 1, 2021

“Exposing Medical Colonialism” featuring Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Interviewed by: Dr Onye Nnorom
Race, Health & Happiness podcast, Season 2, Special Episode
September 29, 2021

On m’a volé ma fertilité
By: Enquête
ICI Radio-Canada
September 23, 2021
(webstory, also in French, available here)

After Video of Abusive Nurse, Canada’s Indigenous Seek Health Overhaul
By: Dan Bilefsky
New York Times
August 28, 2021
(print version of Sunday, August 29; section A, page 14)

Indigenous communities and the healthcare system: a book for Dr. Samir Shaheen-Hussain
By: MyMUHC (McGill University Health Centre)
August 26, 2021

Doctors left children to suffer: Leaders in research built their careers on the suffering of Indigenous children
Interviewed by: Roxanne Khamsi
New Scientist, Issue 3346, 7 August 2021, pages 46-48
August 4, 2021

An open invitation to address anti-Indigenous systemic racism
By: Indigenous Health team
Northern Health regional health authority, British Columbia
August 3, 2021

Le Canada face au racisme systémique contre les autochtones
Interviewed by: Marie Normand
Journal d’Haïti et des Amériques, with Michaël Ponge
Radio France Internationale
July 30, 2021

Samir Shaheen-Hussain : « Au Canada, le colonialisme a tué les enfants autochtones »
Interviewed by: Hélène Jouan
Le Monde
July 9, 2021

Pensionnats autochtones au Canada: une prise de conscience tardive
By: Marie Normand
Radio France Internationale
July 2, 2021

Indian Hospital in Edmonton being searched for remains
By: Shari Narine
Windspeaker (also published via Toronto Star)
June 30, 2021

Pour en finir avec le colonialisme médical canadien
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Magazine AGIR, Amnistie Internationale Canada Francophone
June 23, 2021

Enfants autochtones : l’autogouvernance passe par la décolonisation des pratiques
By: Marie-Laure Josselin
Espaces Autochtones, Radio-Canada
June 22, 2021

‘A lack of compassion’: Canada’s shameful history of medical colonialism
By: Toula Drimonis
The Conversationalist
June 10, 2021

Le rôle des experts qui viennent temoigner: L’expert explique
Interview by: Anais Elboujdaini
Noovo Info
June 2, 2021

How medical colonialism can influence health care workers
Interview by: Alison Brunette
Quebec AM, CBC Radio
June 1, 2021

À la mémoire de ces 215 enfants
By: Rima Elkouri
LaPresse+
June 1, 2021
(also available via La Presse)

Atikamekw leaders tell coroner’s inquest community is haunted by Joyce Echaquan’s death
By: Lindsay Richardson
APTN News
June 1, 2021

« Des Joyce, il y en aura d’autres », affirme le Dr Stanley Vollant
By: Marie-Laure Josselin
Espaces Autochtones, Radio-Canada
May 31, 2021

Décès de Joyce Echaquan: «je pensais que le racisme n’existait pas chez les gens éduqués»
By: Matthieu Max-Gessler
Le Nouvelliste (also published via Le Soleil)
May 31, 2021

Innu surgeon pleads for reforms at coroner’s inquiry into Joyce Echaquan’s death: Dr. Stanley Vollant calls systemic racism ‘integral and invisible’ within Quebec’s health-care system
By: Julia Page
CBC News
May 31, 2021

Joyce Echaquan a été «méprisée à mort», selon un pédiatre urgentiste
By: Naomie Gelper
Journal Métro
May 31, 2021

Coroner hears recommendations in Echaquan inquiry
Video report by: Gabrielle Fahmy
CTV News
May 31, 2021

Echaquan inquiry: reform needed to reduce Indigenous patients’ fear of health system
By: Sidhartha Banerjee
The Canadian Press, National Post
May 31, 2021
(also published via Yahoo, Toronto Star, CTV News and Montreal Gazette)

Des œuvres pour comprendre le colonialisme médical: Joyce Echaquan et le colonialisme médical avec Samir Shaheen-Hussain, pédiatre
Entrevue réalisée par Rebecca Makonnen
On dira ce qu’on voudra, Radio-Canada
May 27, 2021

Enquête publique sur le décès de Joyce Echaquan : des réponses sont attendues
By: Marie-Laure Josselin
Espaces Autochtones, Radio-Canada
May 11, 2021

“Fighting for a Hand to Hold”: Samir Shaheen-Hussain refers to Nina, Victor Hugo, Samian and other artists to help explain medical colonialism
Interview by Nantali Indongo
The Bridge, CBC Radio One
May 8, 2021

A history of Canada’s medical colonialism against Indigenous people and why it needs to be recognized as genocide: doctors
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain (with >100 signatories)
Toronto Star
May 5, 2021

Stérilisation forcée de femmes autochtones : un cas d’eugénisme ?
By: Julien David-Pelletier
L’actualité
April 26, 2021

Osler in perspective
By: Philip Fine
Healh e-News
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University
April 21, 2021

Fighting systemic racism in the health-care system
Interview by Sudha Krishnan
CBC News Montreal
April 21, 2021

La situation des Ouïgours force le Canada à se confronter à son histoire: Le Parlement canadien ayant fustigé la stérilisation contrainte des Ouïgoures en Chine, des femmes des Premières Nations réclament que leur pays reconnaisse avoir exercé des mesures similaires sur elles
By: Hélène Jouan
Le Monde
April 12, 2021

Faire face à la discrimination raciale dans le système de santé
By: Christelle Saint-Julien
La Converse
March 26, 2021

Stérilisation forcée des Autochtones : Miller assure que le Canada a pris des mesures
By: Delphine Jung
Espaces Autochtones, Radio-Canada
March 24, 2021

“Writers Unbound”: interview and book recommendations
Interview by Shelley Pomerance
The Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ)
MAtv.ca
March 23, 2021

Quebec Must Adopt Joyce’s Principle: In the five months since Joyce Echaquan’s death, the government continues to uphold systemic racism in healthcare
By: McGill Daily editorial board
March 22, 2021

Dr. Shaheen-Hussain talks medical colonialism, anti-Indigenous racism in virtual talk
By: Riya Dhillon, culture intern
Western Gazette
March 21, 2021

Race, Health and Happiness Podcast Highlights Game Changers
By: Françoise Makanda, communications officer
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
March 18, 2021

Medicine is fraught with criminal, genocidal history, says #aHand2Hold doctor
By: Shari Narine
Windspeaker (re-published by Toronto Star and Yahoo News)
March 12, 2021

La stérilisation forcée des femmes autochtones au Canada, aussi un génocide
By: Alisa Lombard and Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Actualité Médicale, Profession Santé
March 12, 2021

Idées - «Sur la stérilisation forcée des femmes autochtones au Canada: La clarté morale incite à la reconnaissance d’un génocide qui s’est produit ici»
By: Alisa Lombard and Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Le Devoir
March 12, 2021

Les enfants autochtones et le colonialisme médical: Décoloniser les soins de santé, un préalable pour toute réconciliation
Interview by Marie-Gabrielle Ménard
L’actuel, Radio-Canada (Manitoba)
March 9, 2021

Coerced and Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women and Girls: This is What Genocide Looks Like in Canada
By: Alisa Lombard and Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Toronto Star
March 9, 2021

Le Dr Samir Shaheen-Hussain, auteur de la lettre ouverte s’explique
Interviewed by Sylvie Ambroise
Nouvelles Nationales, APTN
March 8, 2021

Column - « L’acharnement et la paresse »
By: Aurélie Lanctôt
Le Devoir
March 5, 2021

“Quebec physicians, academics blast government for failure to recognize Joyce’s Principle”
By: Holly Moore & Tom Fennario
APTN
March 3, 2021

“The past and present of medical colonialism in Canada”
Interviewed by Scott Neigh
Talking Radical Radio
March 2, 2021

“Nous ne pouvons plus continuer comme si de rien n’était”
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Espaces Autochtones, Radio-Canada
February 26, 2021

“Joyce’s Principle & Systemic Racism: An open letter to Premier Legault”
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
CultMTL
February 25, 2021

“Racisme systémique et Principe de Joyce: Nous ne pouvons plus continuer comme si de rien n’était”
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Actualité Médicale, Profession Santé
February 25, 2021

“Racisme systémique et Principe de Joyce: Nous ne pouvons plus continuer comme si de rien n’était”
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
La Presse+ et La Presse
February 25, 2021

Le livre Plus aucun enfant autochtone arraché par le Dr Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Interviewed by Claude Bernatchez
Première Heure, Radio-Canada
February 5, 2021

L’urgence pour un pédiatre de décoloniser le système de santé
Espaces Autochtones, Radio-Canada
February 5, 2021

Un pédiatre dénonce le colonialisme médical canadien
Le 15-18, Radio-Canada
February 4, 2021

Québec pressé d’adopter le «principe de Joyce»
By: Lisa-Marie Gervais
Le Devoir
February 4, 2021

Livre Plus Aucun Enfant Autochtone Arraché: Le Dr Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Interviewed by Annie Desrochers
Le 15-18, Radio-Canada
February 3, 2021

Entrevue avec Samir Shaheen-Hussain: Les Autochtones, victimes du colonialisme médical
Interviewed by Marie-Louise Arsenault
Plus on est de fous, Plus on lit, Radio-Canada
February 1, 2021

“Racism, colonialism and the medical profession”
Livestream via Facebook and YouTube
Interviewed by Firoze Manji (video podcast)
Organizing in the Time of COVID (Daraja Press)
January 20, 2021

Fighting for a Hand to Hold: Confronting Medical Colonialism against Indigenous Children in Canada
Interviewed by Gwen Schulman & Doug Miller (audio)
Amandla! (CKUT radio)
December 9, 2020

Montreal doctor’s new book confronts anti-Indigenous racism in health care: “Inflicting emotional and psychological trauma on children should never be normal”
By: Sarah Rogers
Nunatsiaq News
December 4, 2020

Interview with Eva Michael
CBC North Radio 1 (Nunavut)
November 24, 2020

Discussion virtuelle sur le racisme systémique dans le domaine de la santé et des services sociaux au Québec
By: Hénia Ould-Hammou
Le Délit
November 15, 2020

Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine, made openly racist statements — and it’s time to stop celebrating him, medical journal article says
By: Marco Chown Oved
Toronto Star
November 9, 2020

Fighting for A Hand to Hold: Confronting Medical Colonialism against Indigenous Children in Canada
(Excerpt from Introduction)
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Canadian Healthcare Network - Medical Post
November 2, 2020

Justice for Joyce, Justice for Georges: The deaths of Joyce Echaquan and Georges-Hervé Awashish reflect the persisting medical racism that exists in Quebec
By: Editorial Board
McGill Daily
October 19, 2020

ER physician confronts medical colonialism in new book
By: Royal College Staff
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
October 13, 2020
(Version en français disponible ici)

Joyce n’est pas la seule victime: Les Autochtones ont bien des raisons de craindre le traitement que leur réserve le système de santé
By: Nora T. Lamontagne
Journal de Montréal
October 11, 2020

One doctor’s view on systemic racism
Interview with Amanda Kline
In-depth, CTV News Montreal
October 10, 2020

‘Cultural safety’ in our health care system
Interview with Mike Finnerty
Daybreak, CBC Radio (Montreal)
October 8, 2020

Atikamekw Nation Grand Chief claims Joyce Echaquan’s family, community want more than apology
By: Anne Leclair
Global News (Montreal)
October 7, 2020

Interview with Alison Brunette
Breakaway, CBC Radio (Quebec City)
October 5, 2020

What is being done after Joyce Echaquan’s death?
Interview with Mike Finnerty
Daybreak, CBC Radio (Montreal)
October 5, 2020

Calls for cultural safety training for health-care staff renewed after Joyce Echaquan’s death
By: Ka’nhehsí:io Deer
CBC News
October 5, 2020

Un historique funeste entre le système de santé et les Autochtones
By: Marie-Michèle Sioui
Le Devoir
October 3, 2020

Lettre ouverte: Le racisme systémique a tué Joyce Echaquan
By: Nazila Bettache & Samir Shaheen-Hussain, with signatories
LaPresse+
October 3, 2020

Experts - Joyce Echaquan’s death: Racism in the healthcare system
Newsroom, Institutional Communications
McGill University
October 2, 2020

How many more Joyce Echaquans must die before François Legault recognizes Quebec’s systemic racism?
By: Konrad Yakabuski
Globe & Mail
October 1, 2020

Why did Indigenous communities undergo strict public health measures amid COVID?
Because Canada’s healthcare system has failed them before
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain, Suzanne Shoush, Semir Bulle, and Naheed Dosani
Toronto Star
October 1, 2020

Joyce Echaquan’s treatment wasn’t an isolated incident: Systemic racism against Indigenous people is endemic within the health-care system
By: Nazila Bettache & Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Montreal Gazette
September 30, 2020 (print version of October 1, 2020; Ottawa Citizen print version of October 2, 2020)

COVID-19 is deadly. So were viruses that killed Indigenous children in residential schools:
Orange Shirt Day reminds us of our medical colonialism
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain, Suzanne Shoush, Semir Bulle, and Naheed Dosani
Toronto Star
September 30, 2020

Ensuring Indigenous children have #aHand2Hold
By: Health e-News, McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
September 29, 2020

Interview: Kaitlin Littlechild
By: Outside The Book
August 25, 2020

We Must Ask Why Medicine Still Puts Racists On A Pedestal
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
HuffPost
August 24, 2020

No pedestal for medical pioneer Sir William Osler
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Montreal Gazette
August 10, 2020 (print version of August 11, 2020)

Decolonizing Health Care: Confronting Medical Colonialism against Indigenous Children
By: Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Canadian Paediatric Society
July 14, 2020

Doctor pens book on fight to confront ‘medical colonialism’ in Canada
By: Holly Moore
APTN News
May 21, 2020