Covid-19 Daily News Digest – April 3, 2020
Ontario Strengthening Victim Services in Response to COVID-19
“Staying home is unfortunately not always the safest option in certain households and sadly a recent increase in domestic violence has been reported to front-line victim service organizations,” said Attorney General Downey. “This emergency payment will ensure victims of crime, particularly those who are experiencing domestic violence, get the help they need to stay safe and healthy during this crisis.”
People in the N.W.T. head out on the land as territory announces second COVID-19 case
”Being from YKDFN there was a really big pandemic way back in the day a long time ago. The Elders are saying just live off the land, go out in the bush, separate yourself as much as possible and try not to associate with others,” she said.
Canada hits over 10,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases
There also continues to be ongoing concern for Indigenous communities along with retirement homes and correctional facilities, where vulnerable people are in close quarters with others.
COVID-19 cases in First Nations spur leaders to call for field hospitals
There have been several requests for military support to deal with the pandemic from other First Nations, including Pimicikamak, also referred to as Cross Lake, and Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba. Miller said Thursday the federal government is looking at various scenarios which would see the Canadian Armed Forces deployed, and is engaging with communities and provinces about their needs.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stefanovich-1.5519238
COVID-19 not the first pandemic Indigenous Peoples have quarantined from
“It’s not the first time our people have been impacted by diseases that have come from abroad. There is a common understanding that we can return to times of pandemics, and our elders wanted to ensure that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren always have places to access clean water, clean air, our traditional food systems and places we can quarantine,” Eli Enns, from the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation told National Observer in a phone interview.
Bimaadzwin Producing Weekly COVID-19 Bulletin for Indigenous People
We want to point out that Indigenous peoples have only been allocated $305 million by the federal government in order to address this pandemic. First Nations will only receive $215 million which is a small fraction of what is being allocated for mainstream Canadians. This amounts to less than one percent of the $82 billion that has been allocated for mainstream Canadians. Again, this is the reason why we want to get this information into our communities on a weekly basis.
Military ready to respond to outbreak of COVID-19 in isolated Indigenous and northern communities
“The main planning effort right now … is to be able to deploy a large task force to a community that is difficult to access. That would meet the requirements of an Indigenous community or any of our isolated northern communities,” he said.
Fifteen cases of COVID-19 in Indigenous communities to date, Canadian minister reports
“Communities are taking exceptional measures to prevent the spread of virus, including restricting travel in and out of communities, self-isolation and quarantine of returning travellers. And we will continue to adapt plans and provide surge capacity as the situation evolves,” Miller said.