Double Discrimination and Equality Rights of Indigenous Women in Quebec

The authors examine the double discrimination faced by many Indigenous women in Quebec stemming from the intersection of Indigeneity and gender. They explain the necessity of using an intersectional approach to understand the experiences of Indigenous women who face multiple systems of oppression simultaneously. This article analyzes three examples of double discrimination created by the Canadian federal and provincial governments: the challenges Indigenous women face when trying to transmit their Indian Status under the Indian Act; the impact of the Quebec provincial youth protection regime on women facing family violence; and the inability of Quebec legislation to protect Indigenous women's rights to matrimonial real property on reserves. All three situations demonstrate systemic discrimination unique to Indigenous women and created by public policy.