Posts Tagged “Health”
- We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to acknowledge that the current state of Aboriginal health in Canada is a direct result of previous Canadian government policies, including residential schools, and to recognize and implement the health-care rights of Aboriginal people as identified in international law, constitutional law, and under the Treaties.
18. Understand that the health of Aboriginal peoples is a direct result of previous Canadian government policies, which includes residential schools. Health care rights are to be given to Aboriginal people as identified in international law, constitutional law, and under the Treaties.
Compiled by: Jeanine Morley
19. We call upon the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal peoples, to establish measurable goals to identify and close the gaps in health outcomes between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, and to publish annual progress reports and assess long-term trends. Such efforts would focus on indicators such as: infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services.
Therefore, the TRC recommends that the federal government take action to address the inequity in the health, and medical care available to aboriginal communities. It is important that the federal government take steps to solve the socio-economic issues that lead to increased risk of disease, such as the poor access to clean drinking water that too many aboriginal peoples suffer from, food insecurity, and lack of education that would aid in preventing disease. The federal government would need to work in consultation with aboriginal communities so that the unique challenges that indigenous peoples face could be met with informed solutions.
Aboriginal peoples living in indigenous communities face more health related challenges, and have fewer resources to combat such challenges, than non aboriginal peoples. In aboriginal communities, infant mortality rates are two to four times higher than in non-aboriginal communities.
Further Reading:
Compiled by: Sadie Moland
20. In order to address the jurisdictional disputes concerning Aboriginal people who do not reside on reserves, we call upon the federal government to recognize, respect, and address the distinct health needs of the Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Aboriginal peoples.
Recognize the specific health needs of Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Aboriginal peoples.
Further Reading:
- The Health Status of Canada’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples, Health Council Canada
- Health Inequalities and Social Determinants of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health, National Collaborating Centre For Aboriginal Health
Compiled by: Jeanine Morley
21. We call upon the federal government to provide sustainable funding for existing and new Aboriginal healing centres to address the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harms caused by residential schools, and to ensure that the funding of healing centres in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories is a priority.
The Federal Government should provided funding for new and existing Aboriginal healing centres in order to address the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harms caused by residential schools.
Further reading:
- Northern Healing Centre Critically Needed, Northern News Services
- Healing Denied, Briar Patch Magazine
22. We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders where requested by Aboriginal patients.
Aboriginal Healing practices should be recognized by the Canadian health-care system. The use of healing practices and treatments should be available to Aboriginal patients when requested and this call to action should occur with including collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders.
Further reading:
- An Overview of Traditional Knowledge and Medicine And Public Health in Canada, National Aboriginal Health Organization
- Traditional Anishinabe Healing, National Aboriginal Health Organization
- Why Traditional Healing Has a Place in Modern Health Care, The Globe and Mail
- Case Over Cancer Treatment for Native Girl is Resolved, The Globe and Mail
23. We call upon all levels of government to:
i. Increase the number of Aboriginal professionals working in the health-care field.
ii. Ensure the retention of Aboriginal health-care providers in Aboriginal communities.
iii. Provide cultural competency training for all health-care professionals.
Cultural safety training is a key part of reconciliation. With a greater sense of cultural awareness across the healthcare sector, proper understanding and respect can be giving to indigenous patients.
What other aspects of public policy would cultural safety training benefit?
Further reading:
- Cultural Safety in Healthcare, National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health
- Aboriginal Peoples Enrolment in Medical School, McMaster University
- Welcome to IPAC, Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
Compiled by: Samuel Bigelow
24. We call upon medical and nursing schools in Canada to require all students to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Indigenous teachings and practices. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
Aboriginal-Canadians have a higher risk factor for many diseases, mental health issues and being discriminated against. All of these factors determine the overall health of humans.
Medical personnel including doctors, nurses, psychologists, etc. should be required to take a specialized course that help with the understanding of Aboriginal peoples history, including the negative legacy of residential schools and the role of social determinants of health. The development must have Aboriginal input.
Further Reading:
- Improving Health Outcomes for Aboriginal Peoples, Fraser Health Aboriginal Health
Compiled By: Morgan Visser
33. We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to recognize as a high priority the need to address and prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and to develop, in collaboration with Aboriginal people, FASD preventive programs that can be delivered in a culturally appropriate manner.
One big reason this is a problem in Aboriginal communities is because of “colonialism” –John Houston.
Colonialism has cast long last effects on the Aboriginal communities such as bad drinking water, over crowded housing and just poor living conditions. These all contributed to FASD. Recommendation 33 can be related to recommendation 35 and the need for healing centers in Aboriginal communities (especially the north). If Aboriginal people are drinking alcohol it is hard for them to find help. In link below you will see how all it takes for a person to get help is to talk to one person. If we create awareness on this issue it might be easier for Aboriginal to talk about their addiction and get help. If the government were to create programs that involved going on the land this could help FASD. Getting people on the land with an elder can help someone with an alcohol addiction. If more healing centers with elders working in them were available to Aboriginal people and so they had someone to talk to we would see a decrease in FASD. Nature is so important for the healing process. If an Aboriginal person was arrested for public intoxication instead of throwing them in the drunk tank and giving them a fine every time. Another solution would be to set them up with an elder who can bring them on a nature experience which has been proven to help heal.
For some people it is hard to see that they have an addiction and they might be scared to talk. If the government can bring awareness and build healing centers it might be easier for people talk about their problems and reduce FASD problems.
Further Reading:
http://www.asantecentre.org/aboriginal.html
http://www.yukon-news.com/news/the-hell-and-hope-of-fasd
Compiled By: Matt Thibeau
34. We call upon the governments of Canada, the provinces, and territories to undertake reforms to the criminal justice system to better address the needs of offenders with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), including:
i. Providing increased community resources and powers for courts to ensure that FASD is properly diagnosed, and that appropriate community supports are in place for those with FASD.
ii. Enacting statutory exemptions from mandatory minimum sentences of imprisonment for offenders affected by FASD.
iii. Providing community, correctional, and parole resources to maximize the ability of people with FASD to live in the community.
iv. Adopting appropriate evaluation mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of such programs and ensure community safety.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls upon the governments of Canada to make reforms to the criminal justice system to better address the needs of offenders with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), this would include:
- Increasing community resources and powers for courts to ensure that FASD is properly diagnosed and that proper support systems are in place for individuals with FASD.
- Establish situational exceptions from mandatory minimum sentences for offenders affected by FASD.
- To maximize the ability of people with FASD to live in the community by providing community, correctional and parole resources.
- To adopt evolution methods to continuously ensure the effectiveness of such programs and ensure community safety.
Other Resources:
Reading – http://www.johnhowardbc.ca/images/jhsbc-factsheet-fasd.pdf
Reading – http://www.rethinking.org.nz/Default.aspx?page=4343
Compiled by: Samuel Bigelow
55. We call upon all levels of government to provide annual reports or any current data requested by the National Council for Reconciliation so that it can report on the progress towards reconciliation. The reports or data would include, but not be limited to:
i. The number of Aboriginal children—including Métis and Inuit children—in care, compared with non-Aboriginal children, the reasons for apprehension, and the total spending on preventive and care services by child-welfare agencies.
ii. Comparative funding for the education of First Nations children on and off reserves.
iii. The educational and income attainments of Aboriginal peoples in Canada compared with nonAboriginal people.
iv. Progress on closing the gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in a number of health indicators such as: infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services.
v. Progress on eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in youth custody over the next decade.
vi. Progress on reducing the rate of criminal victimization of Aboriginal people, including data related to homicide and family violence victimization and other crimes.
vii. Progress on reducing the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in the justice and correctional systems.
Essentially, the TRC recommends that all levels of government provide annual reports or current date that is requested by the National Council for Reconciliation directly tied to the goal of reconciliation.
These reports and current data would directly relate to current issues like the number of Aboriginal children in care, funding for the education of First Nations children both on and off reserves, educational and income attainments Aboriginal peoples in comparison to non-Aboriginal peoples, the over-representation of Aboriginal peoples in the criminal justice system and more.
Further Reading:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-life-and-death-of-donald-marshall-jr/article4283981/?page=all
The case of wrongfully convicted Donald Marshall who was one of the many Aboriginal peoples victim of the racial prejudice by the Canadian criminal justice system. Marshall was convicted of murder, at 17, and imprisoned for 11 years for a crime he didn’t commit. By the time he was finally released on parole in 1982, he was forever damaged by a miscarriage of justice and years of detention.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/clean-running-water-still-a-luxury-on-many-native-reserves-1.1081705
“For most Canadians, an unlimited supply of clean water flowing freely from a tap and imperceptibly whisking away their waste at the simple push of a lever is a given; for many First Nations, it’s a luxury their communities can’t afford.”
61. We call upon church parties to the Settlement Agreement, in collaboration with Survivors and representatives of Aboriginal organizations, to establish permanent funding to Aboriginal people for:
i. Community-controlled healing and reconciliation projects.
ii. Community-controlled culture- and language revitalization projects.
iii. Community-controlled education and relationship building projects.
iv. Regional dialogues for Indigenous spiritual leaders and youth to discuss Indigenous spirituality, self-determination, and reconciliation.
In a few words: Churches should provide funding for Indigenous healing projects
What does this mean in simple English?
Given that this recommendation comes with a lot of financial cost attached, this recommendation might at first seem a little demanding towards religious groups. One might ask why it should be religious groups, and not the government who funds these programs. Is it unreasonable that churches should pay for these healing programs? Based on the fact many churches spent significant amounts of money administering residential schools—programs which severely damaged many Indigenous individuals—it is not unreasonable to think it would be right for churches to provide money to work towards healing for individuals and communities affected by residential schools.
Again, from a policy perspective, a response such as this will be very hard to implement across the board, but will be the responsibility of each individual religious group. Individual people can help make a difference, if applicable, by calling upon their own individual religious groups to pay attention to this recommendation.
Further Reading:
- http://churchforvancouver.ca/trcs-final-report-equips-us-to-repent-reconsider-and-reconcile/
- http://cep.anglican.ca/tag/doctrine-of-discovery/
- http://www.londonconference.ca/content/united-church-today
Compiled by Jonathan Wearing