| A legal representative denounces the practices of the Public Curator
*While the Public Protector noted, last September, a “
dehumanization” of the services offered by the Quebec state, a
legal representative denounces the opaque and stifling practices of a
essential but little-known public institution: the Public Curator of
Québec.*
The book *The Public Curator and me – A deficit of humanity*, of
the author Alexandra Gilbert, will appear *in bookstores on October 29.*
*In short*: There is a lot of talk, with good reason, about mistreatment of
vulnerable people, but we also have to talk about *excessive surveillance*
and *dehumanization of caregivers and legal representatives*. A
legal representative thus lifts the veil on stifling practices and
opaque aspects of a necessary but little-known institution: the Public Curator.
*About the book*
« “My girlfriend, she helps her disabled father and the Public Curator treats her
like a bandit.” This deliciously frank sentence from my lover
makes its way into my speaking. […] I thought about it. In the years of
incessant requests from the Public Curator who had contributed to me
maintain in constant stress, in a sort of state of hypervigilance.
The lack of transparency and professionalism of the institution. To
obscure and cold rules which govern the function of legal representative.
I decided enough was enough. »
*The Public Curator and me* is the uncompromising story of a citizen
dedicated who has assumed the role of legal representative of her for 25 years
father suffered a stroke. If the reality of “caregiver” is for us
now familiar, it is quite different from that of “guardian or
guardian” of a close adult declared incapacitated, while it is experienced by
nearly 10,000 people in Quebec. Alexandra Gilbert thus lifts the veil
on the concrete repercussions of this role on a daily basis, starting with
the experience of the opaque, stifling and rigid bureaucracy of the Curator
public of Quebec.
Although the mission of the Public Curator to “ ensure the protection of
incapacitated people, to safeguard their autonomy and respect their
rights” is essential, the essay instead highlights stress,
the incomprehension and the feeling of isolation and loneliness which
often accompany the experiences of legal representatives, while the
Curateur claims to support families and loved ones in their role.
The organization Proche aidance Québec has also developed the concept of “
organizational mistreatment “, Who ” […] refers, among other things, to a
negation of the skills brought by the caregiver to the
person being helped, the lack of transmission of information to help them
in her role, while leaving her to fend for herself. » This concept
could it also apply to legal representatives?
In a context of population aging, where the number of
people under guardianship risk growing, *The Public Curator and I* are
a vibrant plea so that the fundamental role played by
legal representatives in our society are finally supported and recognized for their
fair value. Otherwise, families and loved ones of people
vulnerable people may, in the future, fear taking care of themselves…
Is this what we want as a society?
*About the author*
Alexandra Gilbert worked for 20 years in development
international. Author of two novels (*Gourganes*, 2017 and *Obsolète*,
2022, both at Stanké), she now works as an editor and
project manager. Legal representative of her disabled father since
25 years old, *The Public Curator and I* is his first attempt.
*****
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