COVID-19 Daily News Digest – December 6, 2020
Former MMIWG chief commissioner says new violence prevention funding misses the mark
Lorraine Whitman, president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, said the funding is badly needed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We had noticed that the violence had increased, especially in the remote areas where the women were … in the same home as the perpetrator and the abuser, so they were unable to get out,” Whitman said.
The national inquiry issued 231 recommendations when it released its final report last year. The first on the list was to develop and implement a national action plan to address violence against Indigenous women and girls.
The federal government was supposed to unveil that plan by last June, but it blamed COVID-19 for pushing back the timeline and has not set a new release date.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/2020-fiscal-update-mmiwg-funding-1.5824248
‘A First Nation pioneer’: Indigenous hockey trailblazer Fred Sasakamoose remembered
Sasakamoose was the first Indigenous Canadian player to play in the NHL, however, his achievements extend far beyond what he accomplished on the ice.
Following his playing career, Sasakamoose became a band councillor and eventual chief of Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation. He also developed sports programs for Indigenous children, most notably the annual Fred Sasakamoose Chief Thunderstick National Hockey Championship in Saskatoon.
“In every generation there are people who fight for what is right, who break down barriers and who pave the way for others. Fred Sasakamoose was one of those people,” Trudeau said, in a video submitted for use at the funeral. “He was a survivor, a trailblazer and a leader.”
Island First Nation communities see disproportionately high numbers of COVID-19
“Two weeks ago, I got a phone call saying that we had our first case and that was an elder. Right away we jumped into action,” said Kevin Peacey, chief of the Klahoose First Nation on Cortes Island.
The Ehattesaht-Chinehkints First Nation is also in the midst of its own outbreak. Of its 100 members, 17 have tested positive in the past two weeks.
Four of the Klahoose First Nation’s 91 members recently came down with the virus, representing 4.44 per cent of the population.
These numbers are a shocking contrast to B.C.’s overall 0.7 per cent COVID-19 infection rate.
Indigenous comedians help public health campaign to protect elders from COVID-19
“[Comedy] is very important because it’s depressing for a lot of people right now. And I believe that our people believe in laughter as medicine,” said Dane Cunningham, who is Cree from Bigstone Cree Nation in Alberta.
Cunningham is a two-spirit, drag comedian who has built a following by releasing make-up tutorials with a sense of humour online. He does roasting-style comedy and describes himself as “the Joan Rivers of Native people.”
Cunningham, who has been doing comedy for five years, is used to creating sketches on a regular basis but had to pull back this year from posting videos to balance out his mental health. But he wanted to make these videos to make sure people are protecting their elders.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/alexis-nakota-sioux-nation-protect-elders-psa-1.5826148
United team effort’ key to success in overcoming Opaskwayak Cree Nation COVID-19 outbreak: chief
“There’s a sense of relief and a high level of satisfaction knowing that we were able to combat this emergency situation, as quick as we were able to,” Sinclair told guest host Sam Samson on CBC Radio’s Up To Speed earlier this week.
“But [it couldn’t be done] without the full support of the federal government through the military and, of course, with the Northern Health authority, the rapid response team and our front-line staff and the Opaskwayak Health Authority.
“So there was a united team effort.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/opaskwayak-cree-nation-covid-19-outbreak-1.5829774
Advocates call for B.C. to collect COVID-19 data specific to urban Indigenous people
Scott Clark, executive director of Vancouver ALIVE, an urban Indigenous advocacy organization, is concerned by the recent news that neighbourhoods with more visible minorities are seeing higher rates of death from COVID-19.
He would like to see cases among urban Indigenous people tracked and reported.
“We just don’t have any information from any source, be it from the federal government or from the provincial government or the health authorities,” Clark says.
Rangers to help in Shamattawa, as COVID-19 cases in northern Manitoba First Nation climb
Chief Eric Redhead said he received a message on Saturday morning from Marc Miller, the federal minister of Indigenous services, confirming that the military “will be activated for Shamattawa.”
Among other tasks, the Rangers will help with providing essentials such as food, firewood and care packages, a spokesperson said.
They’ll also provide logistical and general support such as “transportation assistance, resupply and humanitarian assistance,” the spokesperson wrote.
Preserving Indigenous culture during COVID-19
Indigenous content creator Sarain Fox is making her directorial debut with her first-ever documentary titled Inendi. Stella Acquisto catches up with Sarain Fox about her new documentary and why telling this story was an emotional and personal journey.
Juno-nominated singer and Indigenous health planner goes public about testing positive for COVID-19
Since the start of the pandemic in March, she has been the one many have looked to for crucial info across Stó:lō territory and beyond. She takes the provincial health orders seriously. Some have even accused her of being neurotic about it.
This week she was monitoring her own respiratory symptoms since testing positive and feeling the “worse sick” in years, adding she’s been so thankful for help from family and friends.
“I want to encourage all of you to stay strong in your mind,” Louis said. If they get sick, they need to start doing the contact tracing work themselves.
“I am calling on all my relatives to please be careful. I can’t imagine if someone with asthma gets sick with this, or diabetes, or a heart condition.”
Peru informs UN of protection strategy for indigenous peoples against COVID-19
She explained that —in order to face COVID-19— the Peruvian Government approved a rule, valid as a law, which includes a multisectoral strategy for: health response, territorial control, the supply of essential goods, information and early warning, as well as for the protection of indigenous peoples in situation of isolation and initial contact.