Quebec Health Minister Gatan Barrette says comments on 'drugged' medevac passengers were 'misinterpreted'

Health MinisterGatanBarrette says he's sorry if people "misunderstood" remarks he made that have been criticized by Indigenous leaders as racist.

"Look, if there is something that I am not, it is a racist," said Barrette, flanked by the premier and other Liberal cabinet ministers,at an event in Montreal this afternoon.

"I'm quite aware of the sensitivityof the issue and all the problems that theFirst Nations do live with and the challenges they are facing in this province and across this country."

• Inuk leader calls for Quebec health minister's resignation over 'racist' remarks

Barrette's comments relate to a longstanding policy in Quebec that required ill children from Quebec's Inuit territory of Nunavik and other northern communitiesto travel unaccompanied by a parent or caregiver on air ambulance flights to hospitals elsewhere in the province.

After pediatric associations urged the government to end that practice,Barretteannounced in February that "the human factor" had compelled him to change the regulation barring parents from accompanying their children on medical evacuation flights.

• Quebec will allow parents to accompany children on air ambulances

Asked by a citizen at a community event on Montreal's South Shore why it was takingso long to make that change,Barrette said the issue was never raised at the time that Quebec acquired two Challengers, designed to be flying hospitals.

"I'm the one and only, the first health minister who had to face that issue, and I solved the situation," he said, explaining that the two Challengers with the capability of flying to Nunavikhave now been modified andare operational.

Without prompting, he then added, "I guarantee you that there will be at least one instance in the next six months where someone will not be allowed to get on the plane" to accompany their child.

"Why? Because no one agitated, drugged, under whatever influence would get on the plane at any cost. That will not happen. And that happens all the time," said Barrette, speaking in English.

Listen to a recording of his remarks, obtained by CBC, here:

Gatan Barrette's remarks about northern parents 'under the influence'

6 years ago

Duration 1:12

Gatan Barrette's remarks about northern parents 'under the influence'

Barrette implied the comments were taken out of context and apologized that people had misconstrued his intentions.

"I am very, verysorry that some peoplemisinterpreted the comments I made to a citizen who asked me a question," Barrette said earlier today.

"It's too bad. I am really sorry that people misunderstood what I said."

Barrette said he had been generally addressing aviation safety rules, which apply to anyone on any commercial flight in Canada.

"The simple act of mentioning that rule is not an insinuation [toward] the Indigenous population, who have always supported my policies," he said.

Kuujjuaqmayor refuses apology

KuujjuaqMayorTunuNapartuk, who earlier called for Barrette's resignation over the comments,said the health minister called him after this morning's news conference in Montrealto apologize.

"I don't accept his apology, and I'm still demanding his resignation," he said.

"Mr. Barrette attempted to explain his comments, that they were not necessarily directed toward any specific Aboriginal group. Butfrom what I've heard and what I've read, his comments were about the medical evacuations and the rules and regulations that the governmentis working on that directly affect the Inuit of Nunavik."

"Therefore, his comments were directed on the Inuit of Nunavik."

Kuujjuaq, just south of Ungava Bay, is a fly-in only community andthe administrative capital ofNunavik,with a population of just under 2,800.

Ghislain Picard,the regional chiefof the Assembly of First Nations ofQuebec and Labrador, said the Quebec Liberal governmenthas "failed Indigenous people on a number of fronts" since itcame to power.

"There's a lot of skepticism within our chiefs' circle," said Picard. "GatanBarrette's comments were just adding to many mishaps that we've seen over the last four yearson the issue of lands and resources and the absence that we see in terms of really good faith engagement on the part of government."

Liberals support Barrette's record

Opposition politicians were quick to condemn Barrette's comments.

"It's shameful to try to scapegoat a parent for a problem that is made by the Liberal government," PartiQubcoisLeaderJean-FranoisLisesaid."The issue is that parents should be able to accompany their sick children in these planes."

Quebec'sMinisterresponsible forNative Affairs, GeoffKelley, defended Barrette, choosing his words carefully.

"It's not theGatanBarrette that I know," Kelleysaid at an event this morning. "I haven't heard the tape.I wasn't there.... But I can attest to the fact that when it comes to [key] decisions the government has taken in the last months, he was an ally."

Barrette, Kelley and Premier PhilippeCouillardall pointed to recent health care investments made in Indigenous communities, suggesting Quebec is actively taking responsibility for the health of people in thosecommunities instead of bickering with the Federal government.

Barrette is one of the few Liberal cabinet ministers who is expected to run again in the fall provincial election.

"Dr. Barrette has my trust. He's done very important things for the health care system and forAboriginal people within the health care system," Couillard said.

"I understand the reactions. I think Mr. Barrette has just spoken. He's sorry that his words have been interpreted that way," Couillardwent on.

"I suggest that we leave it there and now look at actions taken on the ground, such as the one that was announced around Quebec City for the Hurons a few days ago."