In 2015, there were five suicides that took place in two different indigenous communities in Quebec, according to a coroner’s report. The report, published by Bernard Lefrancois on Saturday, January 14, 2017, claimed that the problems in these indigenous communities was rooted mainly in the reserve system. The coroner compared this system to apartheid.

quebec suicide indigenous

Per the report, the four women and one man were aboriginal and had all been unhappy. These victims were from Uashat mak Mani-Utenam & Kawawachikamach and ranged from ages 18 to 46. They had all passed away from suicide between February & October of 2015.

Read More: Suicide: LGBTQ and Aboriginal Youth

All the victims showed at least one symptom that is associated with suicide. These include, but are not limited to…

  • Alcohol & drug consumption/abuse
  • Family troubles
  • Mental illness
  • Exposure to the suicide of someone they care about

Bernard Lefrancois’s report states that there needs to be a change in the living conditions in aboriginal communities as their suicide rate, compared to the general population, is about double.

Source: GlobalNews