Elisapie, Ariane Moffatt and Patrick Watson pay tribute to Joyce Echaquan

A group of Quebec artists is coming together to perform a benefit in honour ofJoyce EchaquananAtikamekw woman who shared a live video ofabuse she faced from Joliette hospital staff hours before her death.

The concert, called Waskapitan, was pre-recorded in Joliette last week and will be made available online as of Thursday Dec.3.

The lineup includes Elisapie, Ariane Moffatt, Florent Vollant, Patrick Watson, Natasha Kanap Fontaine, Richard Sguin, Dominique Fils-Aim, Richard Desjardins, Boucar DioufandPatrice Robitaille.

While the event is being released on demand for free, all funds raised through donations will go to theLanaudire Native Friendship Centre.

"Waskapitan in Atikamekw means'let's come together' and I think we need that more than ever," saidElisapie, who is co-organizing the event.

She said this is an opportunity toraise money for expanded services at the Friendship Centre, showcase Indigenous culture and, most of all,pay respect toEchaquan's memory.

"It really shook everybody, it really shook me as a mother, as a human being, as a woman," she told CBC.

Jennifer Brazeau, director of theLanaudire Native Friendship Centre, said that artists have a unique power to reach out and bring people together.

"We believe this is one of the vectors of change that we can implant after the tragedy to look towardhow we can rebuild our communities," she said.

She's also hoping the message will reach beyond her local community.

"We didn't want the issue to be solely the responsibility of Joliette.The events happened here in Joliette [but]this is an issue across the country."

The concert will feature bothIndigenous and non-Indigenous artists including some collaborations,added Elisapie.

"There will be times when there will be a real musical sharingof cultures. That's what we really wanted to highlight. We have to learn to be closer, to be curious, to be there for each other," she said.

The show will be available online from December 3 to January 3.