Human rights complaint filed over CHSLD crisis

The health crisis that has torn through Quebec’s long-term care centres for the elderly (CHSLDS) and other seniors’ residences has resulted in a formal complaint being filed with the province’s human-rights commission.

The Conseil pour la protection des malades (CPM) on Wednesday filed the complaint, a copy of which was obtained by the Presse Canadienne.

Citing the province’s human rights charter, the complaint contends discrimination and exploitation of the elderly living in or having lived in a CHSLD or any other seniors’ residence since that the start of the COVID -19 outbreak.

The CPM is demanding that the suffering of residents at the centres be made to stop, and that financial compensation be made for the violation of the residents’ right to safe and dignified care.

The complaint alleges that since the beginning of March at the latest, government and health officials should have known that the majority of deaths caused by COVID-19 were among the elderly, based on data available in other countries.

The CPM also contends that authorities should have known that the outbreak would hit care centres for the elderly hardest.

The complaint criticizes Quebec Premier François Legault and his government for waiting until April 2 before making CHSLDS a priority in the fight to contain the outbreak.

CPM president Paul Brunet wrote that “thousands of elderly people ... were mistreated, neglected, many died while the government, health authorities, CHSLDS and elder-care centres exploited them and violated their fundamental rights to dignity, integrity and safety.

As of Thursday evening, 2,141 Canadians had died of COVID-19, 1,243 in Quebec. Most of the victims in Quebec were elderly and many of them living in CHSLDS.

Anyone with a family member who they believe suffered from a lack of care in a CHSLD or other long-term care facility is urged to quickly contact the Conseil pour la protection des malades if they wish to be included in the complaint.