COVID-19 vaccinations: Prioritization of Indigenous communities starts to show results
March 10, 2021
As vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 ramp up across the country, many First Nation communities are already sticking needles in arms. Federal and provincial authorities have pledged to prioritize vulnerable Indigenous populations, but the situation looks different depending where you are in the country.
Canada to honour those who died of COVID-19 a year after pandemic declared
March 11, 2021
Canada will mark the one-year anniversary today of the World Health Organization declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is to deliver a speech in the House of Commons this morning, designated March 11 a national day of observance to commemorate those who have died.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/national-day-remembrance-covid-19-1.5945277
Ontario logs more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for fifth day in a row
March 11, 2021
Ontario is reporting more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for the fifth straight day. On Thursday, provincial health officials logged 1,092 infections of the novel coronavirus, as well as 10 more deaths linked to the disease.
Minister says Indigenous Services contacted law enforcement about vaccine deal
March 10, 2021
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says his department has been in touch with law enforcement about a Saskatchewan First Nation’s proposed deal to buy COVID-19 vaccine from a private company, which he believes is not legitimate. Miller said he wants to warn other First Nations about offers that may seem “too good to be true,” and implied that some private companies had impersonated Indigenous Services Canada officials.
Ontario Pharmacies and Primary Care Settings to Begin Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations
March 10, 2021
As vaccine supply increases, the Ontario government is expanding the delivery channels available to administer COVID-19 vaccines to include pharmacies and primary care settings. As of Friday, March 12, over 325 pharmacies will be offering the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine to eligible Ontarians aged 60-64, by appointment only, as part of the vaccine delivery pilot program in specific regions.
Thunder Bay mayor, residents asking Ontario government why district isn’t considered COVID-19 hot spot
March 11, 2021
As Ontario celebrated the one-millionth COVID-19 vaccine dose being administered in the province on Wednesday, Thunder Bay’s mayor and city residents are demanding to know why more vaccines and support aren’t on their way to help the struggling district.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/tbay-covid-hotspot-1.5944967
Sault COVID-19 vaccination hub set to launch appointments for select groups
March 10, 2021
Plans are in place to expand the vaccination efforts in Sault Ste. Marie starting Thursday. The Algoma Public Health (APH) Unit said that its portal for booking a vaccination appointment at its COVID-19 Community Vaccine Hub at GFL Memorial Gardens will open as of Thursday morning .
First of two Indigenous pop-up vaccination clinics to open in region next week
March 11, 2021
Announced by the Region of Waterloo on Monday, the first of two planned pop-up Indigenous vaccination clinics is set to administer shots on March 19th to 20th at Anishnabeg Outreach in Kitchener.
More racially diverse areas reported much higher numbers of COVID-19 deaths: StatsCan
March 10, 2021
The most racially diverse neighbourhoods in Canada reported COVID-19 mortality rates more than twice as high as those reported by districts that are overwhelmingly white, according to new data released Wednesday by Statistics Canada.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/racial-minorities-covid-19-hard-hit-1.5943878
Federal government vows again to end boil water advisories but offers no new target date
March 10, 2021
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller today recommitted the federal government to its goal of lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on First Nations reserves — but didn’t offer a timeline for completing the work.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-new-strategy-long-term-drinking-water-advisories-1.5943388
Miller says he remains ‘committed’ to ensuring access to clean drinking water in First Nations communities (Video)
March 10, 2021
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller said on Wednesday that he remains “committed” to ensuring every First Nation community will have access to clean drinking water. “We’re in it for the long-term. The work doesn’t stop once the advisories are lifted,” he stated.
Ottawa launches website to detail progress on drinking-water advisories in First Nations communities
March 10, 2021
The federal government has created a new website in an attempt to be more transparent about its progress to remedy long-term drinking-water advisories in First Nations communities across the country, but is unable to say when all such advisories will be lifted.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/ottawa-launches-website-detail-progress-014606212.html
Despite progress, dozens of First Nations drinking-water advisories remain
March 10, 2021
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says more than 100 long-term drinking water advisories have now been lifted on First Nations reserves since November 2015. More than three dozen communities still have advisories in place but Miller says each community has a plan in place to fix it.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/newsroom-ready-despite-progress-dozens-213000507.html
Indigenous Services tries to shift Canadians’ focus to progress made, not promises broken
March 10, 2021
Two weeks after the auditor general called on Indigenous Services Canada to “take some concrete action at finding long-term solutions” to get First Nations potable water, the department insists it’s on the right track.
Grand Chiefs condemn ‘sudden’ closure of youth detention centres in northern Ontario
March 10, 2021
Indigenous leaders are condemning what they describe as the sudden closure of several youth justice centres in northern Ontario, saying children and staff were traumatized after they were transferred to more distant facilities without proper notice.
‘Violence against Indigenous women has not ended,’ laments local activist
March 10, 2021
An Indigenous activist from Beausoleil First Nation said that International Women’s Day held annually in early March is a time to honour and celebrate all women, but also a time to recognize there is much work to be done, especially for First Nation females.
Stories From The Land – Indigenous documentary series on CBC Gem
March 10, 2021
Stories From the Land, a podcast dedicated to Indigenous storytelling, has been adapted into a documentary series by Wanderer Entertainment Inc. for CBC Short Docs.
http://anishinabeknews.ca/2021/03/11/stories-from-the-land-indigenous-documentary-series-on-cbc-gem/
Rama First Nation welcomes community-run cannabis store
March 10, 2021
The chief of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation near Orillia said he could not be more proud to see the territory open a brand-new luxury cannabis retail store owned, operated, and staffed entirely by Rama First Nation community members. Chief Ted Williams says the launch of Rama Cannabis is the culmination of years of hard work.
APTN InFocus talks about Indigenous Peoples and the problems in health care
March 10, 2021
It’s a story we hear often – Indigenous Peoples receiving poor treatment and the problems in health care when accessing medical care.
https://www.aptnnews.ca/infocus/infocus-problems-in-health-care-indigenous-peoples/
Jody Wilson-Raybould set to publish memoir of her time in cabinet and SNC-Lavalin affair
March 10, 2021
Former Liberal cabinet minister Jody Wilson-Raybould is set to publish a political memoir that’s promising to shed new light on her controversial final days in the Trudeau government.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wilson-raybould-to-publish-memoir-1.5944350
Indigenous Nations, organizations and prominent individuals support federal implementation of UN Indigenous rights Declaration
March 10, 2021
In an open letter published this week in The Hill Times, 37 Indigenous Nations and governments and other organizations, and 125 human rights advocates, are calling for the timely passage of Bill C-15, the proposed federal legislation to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Ontario to Release 2021 Budget on March 24
March 11, 2021
The Ontario government will continue to focus on protecting people’s health and jobs through the COVID-19 pandemic when Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board, releases the 2021 Ontario Budget on March 24. The Budget will support the province’s comprehensive vaccine distribution plan, along with providing additional resources for the health care sector and initiatives to protect the economic well-being of families, workers and employers.
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/60645/ontario-to-release-2021-budget-on-march-24
Health board that governs Joliette Hospital acts to improve relations with Indigenous patients
March 11, 2021
The health authority that runs the Joliette Hospital where Atikamekw mother Joyce Echaquan died after being racially taunted says it’s taking action and promising to make sure Indigenous people are treated with respect.
Stony Mountain inmate told lawyer he was going through withdrawal, feared he was dying one day before death
March 10, 2021
The lawyer for an inmate at Stony Mountain Institution who died in custody last week says his client told him he was going through withdrawal and felt like he was dying, according to court statements.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/stony-mountain-inmate-dwayne-simard-1.5944866
Military sent to Mathias Colomb Cree Nation amid COVID-19 outbreak
March 10, 2021
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to a First Nation in northwestern Manitoba as early as Wednesday, a spokesperson from the department of national defence told CBC News.
Mi’kmaw lobster harvester says he’ll fight Canada’s reconciliation ‘death certificate’ in court
March 10, 2021
Craig Doucette hoped to make few a bucks to help build a house for his young daughter and himself when he dropped lobster traps in St. Peter’s Bay in September 2019. But, instead, the 36-year-old Mi’kmaw man wound up being investigated for over a year by federal fishery officers, charged with three offences and summonsed to appear in court on March 29.
Confrontation with security guard in Winnipeg has left Skownan First Nation man’s family ‘shaken’
March 10, 2021
The family of a First Nations man with severe disabilities who had a run in with a security guard on a traffic island in Winnipeg says they’ve been left “shaken” by the incident.
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/494-security-winnipeg-manitoba-confrontation/
Homicide victim remembered fondly by community as ‘Larry the mall cop’
March 10, 2021
Lawrence Godfrey was a survivor of the Sixties Scoop, according to long-time partner. The Vibank, Sask., man who died on Sunday is being remembered fondly by many in the Regina community, including by his long-time friend and partner.
MLA dismissed from chamber for uttering ‘crap’ over government’s concern for Indigenous women
March 10, 2021’
A Manitoba MLA was asked to leave the legislative chamber Wednesday for uttering the word “crap,” which is considered unparliamentary language in the Manitoba Legislature. The NDP’s Nahanni Fontaine accused the provincial government of stepping into it following the homicide of Jana Williams, whose body was found last week near the Red River.
City still considering John A. Macdonald statue options, Charlottetown mayor says
March 10, 2021
The mayor of Charlottetown says the city is still working its way through the process of deciding the next steps for the John A. Macdonald statue in the city’s downtown. The presence of the statue has created controversy because of Macdonald’s role in the creation of residential schools for Indigenous people.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/national-centre-truth-reconciliation-new-director-1.5944820
Indigenous woman to lead reconciliation centre
March 10, 2021
Amplifying the voices of Indigenous women will be a priority for the new executive director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. For the first time, the centre named an Indigenous woman to the top post.
Indigenous duo, jazz guitarist among Manitoba nominees for 2021 Junos
March 10, 2021
The name of Winnipeg band Burnstick’s Juno-nominated album Kîyânaw means “us” in Cree, and that sense of togetherness could very well define the past year for the married musical duo.
Northwest Edmonton Police Services campus opens with a smudging ceremony
March 10, 2021
The new Edmonton Police Service northwest campus held a smudging ceremony March 5 to cleanse and provide prayer for the EPS and the broader community it serves.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/northwest-edmonton-police-services-campus-192535054.html
Logging company clears Cree Nation ancestral trail without recourse
March 10, 2021
Last summer, a logging company cleared approximately 1,200 metres of an Indigenous ancestral trail in Bigstone Cree Nation territory, Treaty No. 8 region (northern Alberta), in spite of government regulations in place to protect land.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/logging-company-clears-cree-nation-173320143.html
Williams Lake First Nation activates emergency operations centre in response to flooding
March 10, 2021
More than 1,100 sandbags were assembled this past weekend as the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) responded to early flooding.
Edmonton creates committee to support Indigenous workers and businesses
March 10, 2021
The City of Edmonton has a new plan to provide more economic opportunities for Indigenous people in communities surrounding the city. “We really want to understand the perspectives of the Indigenous community and where they are feeling the greatest barriers,” said Roxanne Kits, branch manager for Corporate Procurement & Supply Services.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7689455/edmonton-advisory-commitee-indigenous-workers-business/
Area Indigenous leaders featured on video to dispel COVID-19 vaccine myths
March 11, 2021
As COVID-19 vaccines continue to roll out across British Columbia, the BC Assembly of First Nations has launched a new campaign to “help dispel myths and encourage everyone to be vaccinated” in Indigenous communities.
Indigenous land defenders: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 6 transcript
March 10, 2021
Supporters of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who oppose the Coastal GasLink pipeline set up a support station at kilometre 39, just outside of Gidimt’en checkpoint near Houston B.C., on January 8, 2020. The Wet’suwet’en peoples are occupying their land and trying to prevent a pipeline from going through it.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/indigenous-land-defenders-dont-call-175250363.html
‘Blockadia’ helped cancel the Keystone XL pipeline — and could change mainstream environmentalism
March 10, 2021
Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent comment that Canada and the United States will move forward after the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline project, the public debate on the fate of Alberta’s troubled bitumen sector still burns.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blockadia-helped-cancel-keystone-xl-173211596.html
Pauktuutit president wants to help Inuit heal from trauma through expanded counselling
March 10, 2021
Rebecca Kudloo, President of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, spoke to Nunavut News from her home in Baker Lake in advance of International Women’s Day. This interview has been edited for length.
Behchoko elders plead for help with frozen pipes and aging homes
March 11, 2021
Celine Whane has had no running water in her home for more than a month — the pipes are frozen, but when she phones for help a service man tells her she is 17th on the list for a repair and needs industrial heaters to thaw it out.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/behchoko-elders-housing-concerns-1.5944647
14 Yukon First Nation students to graduate from family support worker program
March 10, 2021
Fourteen Yukon First Nations people are set to graduate on Friday from the first Yukon First Nations Family Support Worker Training Program.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/14-yukon-first-nation-students-140000640.html
Yukon First Nations want IEP education program returned to students
March 10, 2021
A mother in the Yukon says she’s frustrated with the department of education’s redefinition of a nationally-recognized education plan program, and she’s concerned her son will never receive the proper supports he needs to succeed in school.
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/individualized-education-plan-iep-yukon/
How radio is lifting spirits in a Nunavut hamlet hit hard by COVID-19
March 10, 2021
Ask residents of Arviat, Nunavut, to describe their community, and they’ll tell you what a friendly and social place it is. In pre-pandemic times, the hamlet would be bustling with activities to keep residents entertained, and neighbours would be striking up conversations in the streets.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Issue 9 of The Official Chiefs of Ontario Magazine, The Advocate is now online! To view, please click here: https://www.mediaedgemagazines.com/the-chiefs-of-ontario-coo/oo21c/.
Save the Date: Chiefs of Ontario 47th All Ontario Chiefs Conference 2021
The Chiefs of Ontario and Grand Council Treaty #3 will be hosting the 47th All Ontario Chiefs Conference 2021 on June 15-17, 2021. For more information, please visit https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/aocc-2021.
Annex 9 Climate Change Modelling Experts Workshop, March 22, 2021
As a follow up from the 2019 Climate Change Modelling Experts Workshop hosted in Ann Arbor, Annex 9 is working with GLISA to host another virtual workshop in March.
For more information, please contact Chris Hoyos at Chris.Hoyos@coo.org.
International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) Annual Meeting, May 17-21, 2021
Hosted by Michigan Technological University, the virtual conference will feature four days of scientific sessions and speakers focusing on our theme Bridging: Knowledge, Seven Generations, Land-to-Lake.
For more information and registration, click here: https://bit.ly/3nI8gUh
Chiefs of Ontario Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates
Find Our Latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates Here. This website provides information on emergency planning and preparedness, as well as on the unique programs and services that are available to First Nations in Ontario during times of emergency.
