Government of Canada COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities
May 5, 2021
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is committed to supporting Indigenous communities in their response to COVID-19 and is working closely with Indigenous organizations, and provincial and territorial governments. On First Nations communities, as of May 4, ISC is aware of 27,564 confirmed positive COVID-19; 732 active cases; 26,513 recovered cases; 319 deaths.
Ontario reports more than 3,400 new COVID-19 cases, 26 deaths
May 6, 2021
Ontario is reporting 3,424 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The provincial total now stands at 483,057. Thursday’s case count is higher than Wednesday’s which saw 2,941 new infections. The case count jumped back above 3,000 after being below that mark the previous two days.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7838864/covid-19-cases-may-6-coronavirus/
Canada’s military deployed to Lac Seul First Nation amid growing COVID-19 outbreak
May 5, 2021
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) says six rangers have been deployed to help First Nation communities near Dryden, Ont., several days after the community declared a state of emergency over rapidly rising COVID-19 cases.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7835863/caf-deployed-lac-seul-first-nation/
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine not troubled by variants so far, says CEO
May 4, 2021
One of the people behind the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine says he has yet to see any evidence that emerging variants of the disease have found a way to defeat it. Dr. Ugur Sahin, who founded BioNTech with his wife Dr. Özlem Türeci, told CBC News Network’s Power & Politics today that scientists have two main concerns when it comes to variants of the COVID-19 virus.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ugur-sahin-vaccine-pfizer-power-politics-1.6013818
Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald Marks Red Dress Day and the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)
May 5, 2021
Today, Ontario Regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald issued the following statement on Red Dress Day and the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Marc Miller seeks to clarify timeline in government documents on water for First Nations
May 5, 2021
Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says Ottawa has not extended its timeline for ending long-term drinking-water advisories in First Nations communities to 2026.
Anishinabek Nation to host the first virtual Migizii Doodem (‘Eagle Clan’) Forum
May 6, 2021
The Anishinabek Nation Education Secretariat and Labour Market Development Department are coming together to host the first virtual Migizii Doodem (Eagle Clan) Forum, an online conference focussed on emerging opportunities in education and employment.
Monetary settlement most likely result of Robinson Huron Treaty appeal, proponents say
May 5, 2021
With concluding arguments on April 28, the legal team behind the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF) say are pleased with the way the Stage One appeal went, that they are preparing for Stage Two and they are keenly aware that the case will most likely come down to a settlement.
OPP return to Pikangikum, SIU investigation continues
May 6, 2021
Officers with the OPP have returned to Pikangikum First Nation, but a provincial investigation into two sexual misconduct allegations will continue in the community. Ten officers were expelled from the Pikangikum community nearly six weeks ago after a unanimously approved motion from Pikangikum’s Chief Dean Owen and band councillors on March 20, saying they became aware of ‘incidents involving constables that occurred in the community over many years’.
https://www.drydennow.com/articles/opp-return-to-pikangikum-siu-investigation-continues
‘Immense concern’ on Bridging Finance allegations: Indigenous Services Minister
May 5, 2021
Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller said he had “immense concern” after allegations surfaced of mismanagement and self-dealing at Bridging Finance Inc., a Toronto-based lender that catered to First Nations communities.
On National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S, what has become of the 231 Calls for Justice?
May 5, 2021
Today is the National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S. In Halifax, red dresses were hung in ceremony with a small crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions. They want to know: what has become of the 231 Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry’s Final Report?
Education top of mind for Chief McLeod on Red Dress Day
May 5, 2021
Scott McLeod, Chief of Nipissing First Nation, believes children across the country should learn about the reasons behind Red Dress Day in school.
https://www.mywestnipissingnow.com/42173/education-top-of-mind-for-chief-mcleod-on-red-dress-day/
ATLOHSA calls to action: MMIWG2S
May 5, 2021
Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit Peoples are sacred in our cultures, yet face disproportionate rates of sexual, gender-based and domestic violence due to a variety of systemic factors that sit at the intersections of settler-colonialism and global capitalism.
https://anishinabeknews.ca/2021/05/05/atlohsa-calls-to-action-mmiwg2s/
It took 15 years of advocacy to get cell coverage on Highway of Tears, and families say there is still much work to do
May 5, 2021
The province has finally delivered cell phone service along the entirety of British Columbia’s infamous Highway of Tears, but families of the missing and murdered say much work still needs to be done to respond to the 2006 report that made the recommendation.
Call made for Indigenous Forestry Initiative proposals to advance Canada’s bioeconomy
May 5, 2021
The next call for proposals for the Canadian government’s Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI) has been made by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The IFI supports Indigenous participation in forestry-related opportunities, businesses, careers and governance.
Budget investments will strengthen Indigenous communities
May 5, 2021
Our Government recognizes the role it must play in closing long-standing social economic inequities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians and building a better and fairer Canada for today and future generations. Since 2015, real progress has been made, but more work needs to be done.
The federal budget was a positive first step toward First Nations food security
May 5, 2021
This spring, First Nations in Northern Ontario are facing another challenging hunting season. Charles Hookimaw, lands and resources director at Attawapiskat First Nation, told us that warmer, wetter weather culminating in an early spring melt made it harder to safely cross the river to hunt geese during their spring migration. That means bringing home fewer geese for himself, family, and community members unable to hunt.
Opinion: Housing and the Economy – The framework of sustainable First Nations
May 6, 2021
The absence of adequate housing in many First Nations is something that you can see in the media on any given day. When we read about housing in First Nations, the focus is usually based on the fact that there is not only a shortage of safe, stable, and affordable housing in our communities, but also that there are not enough homes to support the return of our members to the community.
Indigenous communities should be able to choose online voting, especially during COVID-19: Report
May 5, 2021
Indigenous communities should be able to vote using the voting methods they choose, especially during a pandemic. Online voting is a method many Indigenous communities have deployed in recent years and others are looking to use.
A history of Canada’s medical colonialism against Indigenous people and why it needs to be recognized as genocide: doctors
May 5, 2021
On April 1 — a month our Canadian government recognizes as Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month — Canada’s minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, Bardish Chagger, issued a statement reminding Canadians that “it is our collective responsibility to honour and give voice to the victims and survivors of genocide by learning about these horrific events and ensuring we preserve the truth of this history” to confront “prejudice, hate as well as all forms of racism and discrimination.”
Wisdom: Connecting to creator and land
May 5, 2021
Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) is full steam ahead with events for Mental Health Week. With high percentages of Indigenous persons reporting worsening mental health since the start of Covid-19, specifically Indigenous women with 46 per cent experiencing more stressful days and 48 per cent experiencing symptoms consistent with moderate or severe generalized anxiety disorder, these events couldn’t come at a better time.
https://www.tbnewswatch.com/wisdom/wisdom-connecting-to-creator-and-land-3753812
All that we know grows from the words of our ancestors
May 5, 2021
All that we know and all of our relationships grows from the words of our ancestors — that is the guiding principle at First People’s Cultural Council’s (FPCC) Indigenous language programs.
Timing right for Gifts from the Seven Grandfathers
May 6, 2021
The timing is right for sparks of inspiration from new books by George Couchie. Couchie’s 2016 book, Raised on an Eagle Feather, introduced traditional teachings and discussed the responsibilities of all members within the community.
https://anishinabeknews.ca/2021/05/06/timing-right-for-gifts-from-the-seven-grandfathers/
Announcing! Professor Dr. Rhonda Hopkins, Teaching and Learning – Anishinabemowin
May 5, 2021
Kenjgewin Teg is another step closer in its vision of what it means to implement Anishinabek education by and for Anishinabek people with two significant milestones recently achieved in the last month in a growing momentum toward Indigenous control of Indigenous education.
Indigenous woman seeking apology from Toronto police after case of mistaken identity
May 6, 2021
Sara Pitawanakwat says she was in bed with her eight-year-old daughter when a knock at the door startled them around 10 p.m. on April 22.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/indigenous-woman-seeking-apology-toronto-090000621.html
Special Investigation Unit asking for witnesses to come forward in alleged sexual assaults in Pikangikum
May 5, 2021
Ontario’s police watchdog is asking witnesses to alleged sexual assaults in Pikangikum First Nation to come forward. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says it was notified by Ontario Provincial Police on March 19 of two complaints that alleged women were sexually assaulted by its officers.
Showing respect for Indigenous people can go a long way
May 6, 2021
It has been my observation that many in the Niagara region struggle to understand why it is important to know about and be sensitive to Indigenous people, and why it is important to be “politically correct.” Yes, I used those words, “politically correct.”
Bell Let’s Talk Diversity Fund announces new mental health funding
May 6, 2021
Bell Let’s Talk today announced $750,000 in new grants from the Bell Let’s Talk Diversity Fund to 6 more organizations working to improve access to mental health care for members of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities in Canada.
Why we need more Indigenous perspectives in health care
May 6, 2021
Where I’m from, you can’t talk about yourself without talking about your family. I am a member of the third generation of my family to work in health care. A hospital was established in North West River, our partly Inuit village in Labrador, by an international medical organization, the Grenfell Mission, in 1915. My grandmother worked in the laundry of the hospital until she was in her 70s.
With 14 days in the bush, Cree man lives ultimate COVID-19 quarantine
May 6, 2021
Dave Wapachee lived an out-of-ordinary mandatory 14-day self-isolation in a tent in the snow in the bush near his home community of Chisasibi in northern Quebec, after a visit to a COVID-19 hotspot in the south.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/cree-covid-self-isolation-camping-1.6014809
After multiple attempts, suicide prevention legislation passed in Saskatchewan
May 5, 2021
The legislation states that the Health ministry must establish a provincial strategy for suicide prevention within 180 days and consult organizations such as the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. Chief Bobby Cameron says they have been preparing for this and consulting with many communities and specifically the youth.
‘Clare’s Law’ can warn about a partner’s violent past: Here’s what it means
May 5, 2021
A new law on the books in three Canadian provinces will make it easier to find out if an intimate partner has a history of abusive behaviour. So far the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, also known as Clare’s Law, is available in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/clares-law-domestic-violence-police-history/
St. Mary’s First Nation introducing new late night security measures
May 5, 2021
St. Mary’s First Nation is introducing new security measures that will prevent non-members of the Indigenous community, located on Fredericton’s north side, from going into the reserve at night time.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/st-mary-s-security-measures-1.6015273
First Nations woman petitions to have status cards processed as quickly as passports
May 6, 2021
Vivian Hermanson heard story after story from First Nations people around Campbell River, B.C., experiencing years-long delays in registering children for Indian status and delays in receiving their secure status cards from Indigenous Services Canada.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/secure-certificates-of-indian-status-cards-petition-1.6014930
Altercation between loggers and activists near Vancouver Island blockade captured on video
May 5, 2021
Logging operations have stopped on a section of southern Vancouver Island after an altercation broke out Tuesday between forestry workers and blockaders, a flashpoint in a months-long dispute over an unlogged watershed in the region.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/altercation-video-loggers-protesters-1.6015920
Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre steps up to serve elders during pandemic
May 5, 2021
From Monday to Friday, the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre delivers hot lunches to elders throughout the city and has been doing so since the COVID-19 pandemic started. “For them to be able to have communication outside and expect someone to come visit them where some of them are just isolated in their own homes by themselves it gives them that little incentive to ‘oh wow we get to see you just for a few minutes,’” says Melanie Cloutier, the elders coordinator at the centre.
Three major prize nods in one day: Michelle Good’s novel ‘Five Little Indians’ makes Cree author an ‘emerging writer’ at age 65
May 5, 2021
At 65 years of age, Michelle Good is an emerging writer. At least, that’s what she discovered Tuesday when she was informed of her nominations for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction in English and the Amazon First Novel Award — all on the same day.
Tom Berger’s Cases Revealed His Moral Character
May 5, 2021
Alot has been written in a very short time recently about the long and storied life of Thomas Rodney Berger, who died last week aged 88. The obituaries of one of the finest jurists this country has ever produced have chronicled a lot of important commissions and headline grabbing cases he led, and rightly so. But they have almost universally failed to reference his personal traits.
https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2021/05/05/Tom-Berger-Cases-Revealed-Moral-Character/
Feds, CMHC announce multi-million investment on BC First Nations communities
May 6, 2021
The federal government, along with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, has announced a new multi-million-dollar investment on improving housing supply for First Nations in British Columbia.
Nearly 1 in 5 of Iqaluit’s COVID-19 cases are youth
May 4, 2021
Youth account for almost one out of every five cases of COVID-19 in Iqaluit. To date in the city, there have been 132 cases of the virus, including recoveries; 23 of those have been under the age of 18.
https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/nearly-1-in-5-of-iqaluits-covid-19-cases-are-youth/
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation’s solar farm now generating electricity
May 5, 2021
There will be something noticeably different in Old Crow, Yukon, in a few months. The hum of diesel engines will be gone. For the first time in 50 years there will be silence. Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation’s solar farm is now generating electricity. In July, the array will be fully operational, capable of meeting the community’s needs, to the degree diesel generators — some of which date back to the 1970s — will be powered down on sunny days.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-vuntut-gwitchin-solar-farm-1.6015144
‘This kind of behaviour isn’t allowed’: White River First Nation calls for MLA to step down
May 5, 2021
The White River First Nation is calling for the resignation of Kluane MLA Wade Istchenko after offensive texts he sent in a group chat emerged.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/white-river-first-nation-calls-141445896.html
UPCOMING EVENTS
Call for Proposals: Capacity-building funding for An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families for fiscal year 2021-2022
A call for proposals is now open to support capacity-building in relation to An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families for fiscal year 2021-2022. Funding is available to Indigenous Peoples, communities, and groups as they begin work to develop their own legislation and explore Indigenous-led models for child and family services.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/31P9GUe
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 the Chiefs of Ontario All Ontario Chiefs Conference (AOCC), please find the 1st Call for Resolutions attached. Deadline for Resolutions is Wednesday, May 26, 2021. For more information, please visit https://www.chiefsmeeting.com/aocc-2021.
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/.
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.
